


Happy Home

by taeyongseo



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Baby Zhong Chen Le, Day 2: Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M, Neighbors, Single Parent Qian Kun
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-24
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:42:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 21,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22392715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taeyongseo/pseuds/taeyongseo
Summary: Kun is doing just fine on his own. Being a single father at age twenty-one isn't easy, but he has the lines of his life clearly drawn. That is, until Ten comes in and blurs them all.
Relationships: Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Qian Kun
Comments: 126
Kudos: 1318
Collections: In Every Lifetime: A KunTen Fan Week





	Happy Home

**Author's Note:**

> Happy #KunTenWeek! This is my contribution to our lovely celebration of one of my favourite OTPs, KunTen! 
> 
> As always, this is a work of complete fiction. This work does not reflect upon the real life people mentioned in this fictional story, and the non-fictive people named are not affiliated with this story in any way. The story and its characters belong to me. Do not repost anywhere and do not print/distribute.
> 
> Also, a trigger warning for an off-screen minor character death in the first scene. It starts off a bit angsty but goes fluffy from then on out. If you're uncomfortable with that, you can skip the first scene and go straight to the [present day] marking.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!

_[two years earlier]_

The air inside the police station was stale, reeking of bad coffee, smoke and after hours. At first glance, Kun spotted two police officers on display. They were both sitting behind the long reception desk, one on the phone, the other flipping through a stack of what Kun supposed to be crime reports. 

To his right was the waiting area, about half a dozen people seated on uncomfortable looking plastic chairs. Some were handcuffed, some not. The wall to his left was made out of glass, revealing a large bureau area, various other officers sitting at their desks, walking around or escorting criminals. He felt Lucas's calming hand on his back and swallowed. He could do this. He could do this.

''You can do this,'' Lucas whispered, his voice not carrying any false optimism. Kun felt nauseous. Clearing his throat, he stepped in front of the reception. ''Excuse me?''

The officer flipping through the papers stopped and looked up. ''Yes?''

Kun hid his trembling fingers in the insides of his pocket, ''I—uhm, I got a call from Detective Bae?''

''It's okay, Wendy, I got this.''

Kun startled and turned around, facing a worn looking woman in her mid-forties. Her sleek, black hair was brought up into a tight bun and her unwavering gaze was piercing. Kun swallowed and shook the extracted hand, taking in the dark uniform and golden badge.

''I’m Detective Bae. You are Qian Kun?''

Kun nodded. ''Yeah.''

Somehow his answer didn't seem to satisfy Detective Bae in the least.

"Follow me. Your chaperonage has to wait here, I fear."

Kun answered Lucas's questioning glance with a quick nod. A last squeeze to his shoulder and Lucas let him go. Hiding his shaking hands in the pockets of his coat, Kun followed Detective Bae's slight figure through a side door, down a hallway and into a small room. The sparse furnishing consisted of not much more than a sofa and tiny kitchenette.

"Have a seat."

Kun complied. Detective Bae sat down opposite him and folded her hands in her lap.

"There is no way to sugarcoat this, therefore I will be truthful with you. Is that okay?"

Kun nodded. He couldn't feel his limbs. The police woman took a deep inhale before she met Kun's eyes.

The next two minutes were a blur of blood rushing through Kun’s ears, ice flooding his veins and words like “car accident”, “full-frontal” and “your sister and brother-in-law” resonating against his skull.

''No.'' Kun shook his head. ''No, that's not possible, they—''

''I'm sorry, Mr Qian. They were dead on impact. We tried to contact your mother, but—''

"No!" Kun’s stomach flipped, spit filling his mouth. Detective Bae must have foreseen his reaction, because within seconds a rubbish bin was shoved into his hands. Unceremoniously, he hurled up the take-out him and Lucas had ordered earlier that night. After he had stopped retching, the detective laid a comforting hand on his shoulder.

“I know it’s hard to understand, but please know that there is nothing you could have done.”

''No, I—Chenle! Chenle, they have a son. He's barely a year old. Was he in the car? I mean, is he—'

Detective Bae's features softened and she shook her head. ''Follow me.''

She led him out of the room and down the hallway they had come from before taking a turn into another corridor. After another five minutes of walking, they ended up in front of what seemed to be a day care station. Through the glass of the window Kun could see several children, playing with toys or running around.

"Please, wait here."

Detective Bae disappeared inside.

Kun watched her talk to what seemed to be the woman in charge. The two women exchanged a few words, the daycare lady looking at Kun through the glass once, then nodding. She disappeared out of Kun's vision and eventually came back with a small, familiar frame perched on her hip.

Kun's knees went wobbly when the three of them walked towards him, a constant static drowning out all sound and thought. He couldn't do this. He was nineteen years old and alone. Sicheng wasn’t even on this continent, deployed somewhere that would prohibit him from receiving the message for weeks. And his mother—Kun was completely and utterly alone. Tears welled up in his eyes, as he saw the doorknob turn.

And then there was Chenle.

So small, so fragile, chubby hands reaching out for him, his sister's eyes staring back at him, blurred by steady saltwater pouring out of his eyes. Chenle was crying. A single sob escaped Kun's lips as he took the baby from the woman's arms and pressed him against his chest. The faint smell of raspberry-flavoured baby shampoo filled his nose as he buried his face in the soft wisps of hair.

"It's okay now," Kun whispered. “Shhh, it’s okay, baby. Uncle Kun is here now. Nothing's gonna happen to you now. I got you, haven’t I? Uncle Kun is going to take care of you. It's okay now, Lele. I'm here now."

_[present day]_

Kun was awoken by a bony finger, poking him in the cheek.

''Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty," an all too familiar voice sang into his ear.

Groaning, Kun let his eyelids flutter open. He needed a moment to focus on the speaker. Clad in cargo pants and the horrendous mustard-coloured shirt of the convenience store they both worked at, Lucas was grinning down at him. He had his muscular arms crossed in front of his chest. It took Kun about two more seconds until the meaning of Lucas's presence in his bedroom kicked in.

“Shit!” He jumped out of bed, nearly tripping over some of his books and a blueprint he had worked on the night before. ''What time is it?''

Laughing, Lucas shot a glance at his watch. ''Half past seven. You've got ten minutes.''

''Shit!" Kun repeated.

He snatched up the various parts of his own uniform from the floor before running off into the bathroom. While passing the kitchen, Kun sneaked a glance at Jungwoo, who was cooing over Chenle, feeding him breakfast while skilfully avoiding any rice pudding to land on his shirt. When he noticed Kun looking, the other man winked at him.

Kun cracked him a thankful smile before he hurried on into the bathroom. With his boxers still on, he hopped in the shower, trying not to whimper as the unheated water hit his skin. Peeling the soaked fabric of his boxers off his skin, Kun undressed and rinsed his hair as quickly as possible.

''Five minutes!'' Lucas called from outside the bathroom door.

Cursing, Kun stepped out of the shower. He rubbed himself dry as fast as humanly possible and slipped into his jeans. It was no easy task, considering their tightness and the way the fabric glued itself to his damp skin, but Kun had no time to adjust. Gurgling with mouthwash, he pulled his own work shirt over his head and buried his still wet hair under a company hat.

Jungwoo was waiting for him by the front door when he came out, Chenle perched on his hip and the toddler’s small, pink backpack in hand.

''I can drop him off at daycare, you go! Lucas is already waiting for you.''

Relief flooded Kun's veins as he wriggled into his jacket. ''Thank you, thank you, I love you!''

''No problem.'' Jungwoo laughed, his warm brown eyes crinkling.

Kun would forever be grateful for his friends. Swiftly he pressed a kiss to Chenle's temple, inhaling the familiar scent of baby and raspberry shampoo.

"Bye, baobei.''

''Bye, baba.'' The two-year old squeaked and waved with his still chubby little hand.

Kun snuggled him one last time before Jungwoo shooed him out the door. He nearly fell square onto his face the moment he had left his apartment, though. Countless moving cartons were clogging up the outdoor hallway.

“What the—” 

“New neighbour,” Jungwoo supplied from behind him. “3A, Lucas has met him. Says he’s a cool dude.”

“He’s a cool dude once he has moved all of his stuff out of the way,” Kun grumbled, rubbing his knees before he hastened down the metal flight of stairs leading onto the car park in front of their apartment building. Lucas was tapping his fingers on the steering wheel to some pop song when Kun slipped onto the passenger seat. The engine of the hatchback was already running.

''Just in time like always, Kunnie, I'm impressed." Lucas grinned and steered the car onto the street.

*

So far their shift had dragged on slowly. While Lucas had made it his business to restock the shelves of the toiletries aisle, Kun had taken over till duty. Thankfully the counter protruded a little on his side, so he was able to hide his Architectural Design 307 book in the shadow of the excess length. Not that it would have mattered either way.

Old Mr Cho, the store's manager, rarely showed up at the store, preferring to resort to “flying visits” as he called them. Plastering a smile on his face, Kun rang up the pyramid of canned beans the old lady waiting in front of his counter had placed there. He wished her a good day when she scuttled out of the store. After that, Kun fixed his gaze back on the introductory paragraph of the current page.

*

Chenle was already waiting for him when Kun entered the playroom of the Caterpillar Group. His small, pink backpack fixed on his back, he was sitting on the bench underneath the coat hooks, tiny legs dangling in the air.

"Hey, baobei," Kun announced his entry. Unceremoniously, he dropped to his knees and opened his arms.

There were few things in life that felt better than having your little one run towards you on wobbly legs and throw itself into your arms. Kun couldn't think of a single one while he hugged his baby boy hello. Chenle squeaked in delight as Kun scooped him up and whirled him around one, two, three times.

"You had a good day, baobei?" Kun asked as soon as Chenle was perched safely on his hip.

The two-year old nodded, tugging on a strand of his hair, eyes bright. "Kuwnie."

"That's great. You ready to go home then?"

Another tug on his hair.

"Alright, buckle up!"

Chenle clung to the collar of his shirt and Kun strode towards the exit. They had nearly made it to the door when a haggard frame positioned itself between them and the door.

It was needless to say that the nurses at daycare loved him.

_"Easy mathematics, bro. You're a good-looking dude and a single father, hence as responsible as they come."_

_"Yeah, but I'm also as gay as they come."_

_"Eh, minor details. Fact is that women see you as a perfect long-term mate. You gotta watch out for the cougars, Kunnie. It’s called the single dad effect."_

_"I...I am still gay?"_

_"Yeah, but they don't know that."_

Lucas had been right.

The nurses all seemed to be painfully oblivious to the subtle unsubtle hints Kun dropped whenever one of them came onto him and he could drag Jungwoo with him to pose as his fake boyfriend only so often before it either got weird or Lucas would set fire to his kitchen in his sleep. Thus, Kun had resigned himself to simply ignoring the unwanted advances.

"Mr Qian, it’s lovely to see you," Mrs Park, the daycare's owner greeted him, a kid glued to each of her legs and one hanging from her arm. Unfortunately, she was one of Kun's more persistent, not so secret admirers. No matter the fact that she was easily twenty years older than him.

"Hi, Mrs Park! How are things going?"

"Ah, I can't complain. You are you picking up the lovely Chenle?" Mrs Park's voice was sweet as sugar.

"Yeah, we gotta run actually. Jungwoo is waiting for us at home, isn't he, Chenle?"

It wasn't even a lie, technically. Jungwoo was indeed waiting at Kun's flat for them. That he was doing so with his boyfriend wasn't a detail Mrs Jackson necessarily had to know about.

"Wucas!" Chenle cheered, clapping his hands against Kun’s cheeks.

Kun formed an excited with his mouth and beamed at him. Swerving around Mrs Park, he made a beeline for the door.

"See you tomorrow, Mrs Jackson!"

*

To his surprise, Kun found his flat empty when he came home. With a huff he pushed the door shut behind him with his foot, hoisting Chenle up his hip to get a better grip on him. After dropping his messenger bag on the couch table, he surveyed the main room.

His flat was essentially one big room, containing living room, dinner table and kitchen area. Next to the kitchen lay the bathroom, the two bedrooms adjacent to the living room area. Toys and stuffed animals of all sizes were strewn all over the place, the dinner table buried under Kun’s blueprints and books. With a sigh, he set Chenle down on his play rug and hurried into his bedroom.

He exchanged his skinny jeans and cashier uniform for sweatpants and his oldest, rattiest and most beloved sweater before he picked Chenle back up and made the thirty-second long trip next door.

Lucas opened him with a relieved smile on his face. "Hey, bro. Sorry, we had to move to ours. Your stove is broken."

"Shi-shoot, really?"

Lucas nodded, flopping down on his couch. Jungwoo and Lucas’s flat was basically an exact copy of Kun’s, minus the child accoutrement.

"Yup. No worries, though. Jungwoo already called one of his friends from the squad. He says the guy will make you a special price and all."

"Okay, yeah, that's… thank you.”

“No problem,” Jungwoo chimed in from the kitchen.

Kun tried hard to keep a smile on his face as he joined Lucas on the sofa, to not let his inner panic show. Even with a discount, a new stove would cost him at least 2,000 yuan, which were exactly 2,000 yuan more than he could afford. Careful to keep his expression in check, he pulled out his phone and sent a quick text.

“Hey, guys, uhm, Mr Cho has given me the night shift tomorrow. Could you eventually, maybe babysit?”

“Fridays is date night,” Lucas said in the same moment, in which Jungwoo said, “We’ll do it.”

The couple had one of their silent eyes-only conversations before Lucas let out a sigh and turned towards Kun. “We’ll do it.”

Jungwoo seemed to have sensed his discomfort because in the next moment, he was sitting on the arm rest by Kun’s side, squeezing his shoulder. “No worries, Kunnie.”

“Yeah, I’m—I’m sorry. I didn't mean to ruin anything.”

It was then that Kun noticed Chenle’s pleading glance. As soon as he had given his okay, the two-year old squeaked in delight and climbed on top of Lucas. Giggling, he buried his tiny hands in the older’s hair. Unfazed, Lucas started rubbing his back while peeking over his head, features breaking into a reassuring grin. 

“Don’t be sorry, bro. You don’t want to know how many date nights Jungwoo ruined because he was on on-call duty.”

“I can perfectly hear you, Lucas. Also, may I remind you that you were the one who chose to date a firefighter?”

“I can’t help it. It’s the shoulders.”

Jungwoo scoffed, stealing Chenle from his arms and shoving his cooking gloves at him. “You cook then and I'll get the cuddles, if it’s only my body you want.”

“No, I also want your—”

“No swear words in front of the baby!” Kun exclaimed.

Lucas pouted. “I was going to say ‘soul’.”

“Sure you were, babe.”

They continued to bicker on for a while, while Kun watched his friends. He kept a smile on his face. In order to get rid of the aching pull in his chest, he took Chenle from Jungwoo’s arms and buried his nose in his hair. When he looked up again, he felt nothing but love for his family.

*

Kun was exhausted when he fell into bed that night. After he had bathed Chenle and put him to bed, he had finally managed to finish the blueprint he was meant to hand in tomorrow. Now, it was way past midnight and his eyelids were drifting close on their own accord.

Placing the baby phone on his nightstand, he stripped out of his sweater and shimmied out of his sweats, kicking them to the end of the mattress. Half asleep, Kun pulled open the bedside drawer. He only had to grope about for a few seconds until his fingers enclosed the cold plastic frame he had been looking for and he retrieved his hand.

The photograph was old, over fifteen years now. Gently Kun placed it on his knees, subconsciously lifting his hand to rub over the convoluted letters inked into his shoulder. Fixing his gaze on the right person on the picture, he began talking.

“Hey, jiejie. Daily update: Chenle is doing fine, Lucas and Jungwoo too. We’re all—it’s all well. Money’s a bit tight at the moment, but we’ll deal. In the end, I always manage, right? I miss you. But thank you for watching over us.”

He smiled into the thin air of his bedroom. “I love you. Good night.”

He just so managed to lay the photo back into the drawer before he fell asleep.

*

Everything was dark when Kun opened his eyes, the indignant screaming of a two year-old making his head pound. A quick glance to the alarm clock on his bedside table told him that it was a little after one in the morning. With a groan he rolled out of bed and onto his feet, simultaneously snatching up the baby phone.

"Shh, shh, baobei. It's alright, baba's on his way. I'm on my way. Stop crying, Chenle, please." A slight curse escaped him as he stepped onto one of his books. "Shit—I mean shoot! You didn't hear that!"

Kun opened the door to Chenle’s room. The first thing he did was wince. He didn't know what was worse. The lack of walls between them amping the noise level of Chenle's screaming from loud to ear-splitting or the deafening Trap Hop that was coming through the wall.

"What the—" Feeling his blood boil, Kun picked up Chenle and hoisted him onto his hip. Chubby little arms wrapped around his neck, a mixture of tears and snot dampening his shirt in seconds.

“Loud,” Chenle complained, voice small.

“Shh, shh, hey, it’s fine, baobei.” Jiggling Chenle up and down, Kun carried him into his own bedroom. “See it’s not as loud in here, is it?”

Chenle nodded and crawled to the top end of his bed, seemingly pleased to curl himself up on his pillow. “Stay?”

Kun wanted to sigh. Chenle wasn’t a big talker, his sentences rarely consisted of more than one or two words. The doctors he had taken him to had told him not to worry, but Kun had googled it. Technically, Chenle should be babbling on like crazy. But he didn’t. Kun thought it might have something to do with the accident. Lucas had slapped him over the head with a women’s health magazine when he had mentioned it. “Don’t worry too much, Kun. Just wait and see. Lele will come around when he’s ready.”

So that was what Kun did. He waited and didn’t pressure his two-year-old. That didn’t mean that he didn’t let a few seconds pass, though, just to see if Chenle would elaborate. When he didn’t, Kun gave up and in.

“Yeah, sure, you can stay here. As an exception," he added the second sentence with a stern tone to his voice. 

He had needed almost half a year to break Chenle loose from wanting to sleep in his bedroom every night.

“Eggtion,” Chenle confirmed, shooting him a blinding smile. 

It wasn’t justifiable by any means, how much Kun melted whenever his baby looked at him like that. Chenle made grabby hands at him.

Kun had to shake his head. “I have to do something first, okay? Can you stay put? Don’t move?”

After a short period of contemplation, the two-year-old nodded.

“Come back?” he called after him when Kun was already halfway out the door.

He turned around. “Of course. I’ll be back in no time, baobei. Promise.”

Seemingly content, Chenle dumped his head onto the pillow. He rubbed the last remnants of his tears into the sheets and Kun closed the door.

The moment he had stepped out of his flat, he was fuming again. 

There were people milling in the outdoor hallway. A lot of them. Someone was throwing a houseparty. Well, not someone. Kun knew exactly where all these people came from. Except for him and Jungwoo and Lucas their apartment building was exclusively inhibited by pensioners, _had been_ inhibited by pensioners. Fucking 3A. Kun had never met the guy and he was already ruining his life. And Chenle’s sleep schedule. A sleep schedule Kun had needed an excruciating amount of time to get him to follow.

“My god, get a fucking room," he barked at a couple making out against his kitchen window. The closer he got to the door at the beginning of the hallway, the more people he had to squeeze past.

"Fucking scene kids," Kun mumbled as he pushed past two boys with coloured hair and dangly earrings. On second thought, he grabbed one of them.

"Whose party is this?" he bellowed over the deafening trap hop. 

"Why you wanna know?" The boy slurred back, obviously wasted. "You a cop?"

"Yes." Kun rolled his eyes. He was surprised though, when the other boy's expression turned from smug to alarmed. Quickly, he handed his friend his bottle.

"Alright, officer. Follow me." The boy smiled at him as innocently as possible.

Kun wasn't sure what astounded him more, how drunk a person could be exactly (Kun was wearing pyjama bottoms and a t-shirt after all, very un-cop-esque) or that there used to be a time where he would have been one of the people around him. 

The boy pulled him to the kitchen area of the flat. Nearly a dozen people were crowded around the kitchen island. On top of it a body was sprawled out. Kun's eyes trailed over heavy combat boots, ripped skinny jeans and then an endless sea of skin. Drips of green ran down the lines of the body's stomach as a girl with asymmetrically cut hair and golden eyeliner licked the alcohol out of the body’s navel.

"Yo, Ten! Ten! Cops!"

Upon the last word, the body sat up, turned into a man, no older than Kun. There was an abundance of silvery blue hair, elegant features and so many ear rings that Kun lost count. It wasn't something Kun would have ever considered attractive, it wasn't, but god the man was. He looked like a young god.

The whole thing got worse when he opened his eyes. They were sharp, landing on the boy first before his gaze settled on Kun, did a double take. A grin revealed a straight row of sharp, little teeth. Predatory. Kun could see it in his eyes, in the mischievous lines around his mouth.

Kun tilted his chin upwards, crossed his arms in front of his chest. No matter how good 3A, apparently named Ten, looked or how bad Kun wanted to dig his nails into that stomach, he had come here with a reason. 

His composure faltered a little when Ten hopped off the kitchen counter, grabbed a paper towel and wiped his stomach off, but by the time the other man had walked over, Kun had pulled himself back together. 

“Thanks, Yangyang.” Ten nodded at the boy between them, who saluted and took his leave.

Then he turned towards Kun, grin widening. “You don’t look like a cop.”

Kun rolled his eyes. “Obviously, I’m not a cop.”

“Yeah, I figured as much.” Ten’s expression didn’t falter in the least.

“I’m Kun. I’m your neighbour.” With a polite smile, Kun stretched out his hand.

Ten blinked at him.

“3B?” Kun tried. The strain to overpower the blasting music made his cheeks heat up.

“Ahh.” Ten nodded, eyes twinkling with something Kun couldn’t quite place as Ten took his hand and shook it. “I mean, you’re not really in party attire, but I don’t think anybody will really care. C’mon, I’ll show you where the liquor is!”

“W-what?”

“Alcohol?” Ten shot him a questioning look. “That thing people drink at parties?

“You think—oh my god, no! I’m not here to party.”

This time, Ten’s smile faltered. “Oh.”

“Yeah, fucking _oh.”_ And suddenly, Kun got his anger back. “It’s one in the morning and you’re throwing a house party!”

“It’s a _moving_ house party, actually.”

“I don’t care!” Kun threw his hands up. “Some of us have to be asleep at this hour, okay?”

Ten blinked at him, cocking his head to the side. He didn’t say anything. 

Kun decided that he had had enough. “Fine. How about this: Either you tone it down, or I’m going to call the cops! The real ones! So they can lock you and all your little punk friends up!”

He didn’t wait for an answer. 

Not dignifying Ten with another look, he turned around and shoved his way back out of the flat. It was not until he was snuggled up back in his bed, with Chenle pressed against his chest and the volume of the music outside dropping, that he thought he may had been a little too harsh.

*

Kun woke up with the solid weight of his baby on his chest, tiny hands raking through his hair, tugging on the sweat-damp strands. Blinking against the sunlight falling in through the bedroom window, Kun pried his eyes open. He was met with gleaming, round orbs, merely an inch away from his face.

“Morning, baobei,” he rasped out, coaxing a happy giggle out of Chenle. “Did you sleep well?”

Chenle puffed out his cheeks, nodding before smacking a hand onto his stomach.

“Mhm, I’m hungry too. But you know what we have to do before that, yeah?”

A slight wince escaped him as Chenle sat up, his knees digging into Kun’s ribs.Tongue darting out of his mouth in concentration, Chenle offered him his palm.

Kun smiled. Then he let his fingers dance over his baby’s hand. “Let’s be good today! Let’s have fun today!”

“Fwun today, baba!” Chenle confirmed and squealed when Kun scooped him up and carried him into the kitchen.

First things first, Kun switched on the radio when he entered the kitchen. The station was playing some generic pop. He could live with that.

Humming along, Kun placed Chenle in his high chair before he began roaming the fridge for something to cook breakfast with.

“Okay, let’s see. We’ve got eggs and we could eat toast with that?”

He held the food out for Chenle to evaluate. The two-year-old scrunched up his nose. With a sigh, Kun closed the fridge and pulled open the drawer next to it.

“Oatmeal?”

An indignant huff.

“Okay, okay. It was worth a try. What about pancakes?”

Chenle beamed at him. Melting like a snowman in the sun, Kun opened the kitchen cabinet next to his head. “Pancakes it is!”

Chenle made grabby hands at the mix bottle when he placed it on the counter between them.

“You wanna help?”

“Help!” Chenle squealed, trying to wriggle onto his feet.

“Careful!” 

Kun had a minor heart attack when Chenle leaned forward, dangerously far over the tabletop of the high chair. He hurried around the counter and pulled Chenle onto his hip before he could climb any further.

“Never do that again, Lele.” 

Heart still pounding in his chest, he pressed the toddler against his chest, burying his nose in Chenle’s hair. Kun knew he was overreacting, he knew, but he couldn’t help it. That was his baby. He wouldn’t survive it if his baby got hurt.

Chenle seemed to be oblivious to it all. Happily, he snuggled into Kun’s neck, giggling into his ear. Kun inhaled a few raspberry-scented breaths, waited until his pulse had gone back to normal. 

He set Chenle down on the kitchen counter, keeping a hand fisted into the back of his pyjama shirt as Chenle crawled towards the middle of the counter. He pulled the bottom drawer of the counter open with his foot, retrieving bowl, whisk and everything else he needed for the batter.

“You wanna mix the batter?”

Wide-eyed, Chenle nodded. His expression turned solemn as he closed his tiny fingers around the handle of the whisk. Then he turned to Kun, looking for help as what to do next.

“Like this.” Kun closed his hand around Chenle’s fingers and guided him through the motions.

Once they had done the batter, Kun placed Chenle back in his high chair, out of proximity from the sizzling butter in the pan. Breakfast was a quick affair. Kun was more than thankful that Chenle had grown out of the phase where he had refused to eat any food for breakfast that wasn’t mushed bananas.

The moment he was done, Chenle shoved his plastic plate out of the way and reached out with syrup-sticky hands. Kun shoved the remaining half of his own pancake into his mouth before he used his puffed out cheeks to pull faces at Chenle while he put the dishes into the sink. Then he finally picked him up, placing Chenle to kneel on the counter next to the sink.

“Stick your hands in.”

The two-year-old pouted at him.

“C’mon, Lele. Clean those dirty paws of yours. Please.” Mimicking him, Kun jutted out his bottom lip. 

That caused Chenle to giggle. Shooting him a long-suffering look, the toddler dipped his hands into the lukewarm dish water. Kun let him splash around for a bit while he turned up the radio. That was always his favourite part of breakfast.

Chenle wasn’t able to dance yet, not really, but he loved the music. And though his movements were a little bit out of rhythm, Kun could see that he was perfectly content with jiggling his head and knees while Kun rinsed their plates.

As soon as the dishes were done, Kun let Chenle lead him into the living room. He had to crouch down a bit so Chenle could pull his hand, but he was released soon enough when Chenle let go of him in favour of taking a running start and catapulting himself onto the couch.

“Wanna see what’s on TV for you while baba gets ready for work?”

“Sesame Street?” Chenle asked hopefully. 

Kun smiled. That was Lucas’s doing. As Chenle’s unofficial godfather in charge, Lucas refused to let Chenle watch any children show that was produced after 2005. Kun’s best friend was adamant that these “ADHD-causing insults of good old children’s TV” were never to be seen by Chenle’s eyes. Sesame Street was one of the few exceptions from this rule, and hence special in the toddler’s eyes.

“Sure. Cuddle up.”

*

"So, do you remember Johnny, the guy who fixed your stove?" Shoving his work shirt into his backpack, Lucas leaned against Kun's counter.

Chenle, who was sitting on top of the conveyor belt, offered him a hand full of slobby gummi bears. Lucas declined with an apologetic smile.

"Uh, sure. What about him?"

Kun did remember Johnny. After all, he had just started his third Saturday afternoon shift of the month in order to pay the bill Johnny had handed him after the repair.

Jungwoo, who had come with Chenle to pick Lucas up said eagerly, “Johnny is really nice. One of the best firefighters we have.”

“I can second that. I’ve met him several times. A total catch.” 

Oh. _Oh._ Kun should have known. Frowning, he looked at his two best friends. “No.”

Lucas and Jungwoo exchanged a quick look.

“What about yes?” Jungwoo suggested while Lucas pretended to be busy closing the zipper of his backpack.

“Lucas!”

“Hey! Why’s it my fault?”

“Oh, please, we both know you’re the matchmaker of you two!” Kun rolled his eyes. “Jungwoo just supplies the contestants.”

“They’re not—”

“WinKunsHeart.com?” Pointedly, Kun raised an eyebrow.

“Kun—” Jungwoo tried, but Kun cut him off. “No.”

Determinedly, he crossed his arms in front of his chest. “No more matchmaking."

"But—"

"Listen, I know you two only mean the best for me, but seriously? I’m a twenty-one year-old uni student with a kid and a shitty full-time job. There aren’t exactly many guys my age who are looking for someone like that. Not even one, as far as I know. But that’s okay, yeah? I’m happy. I got you guys and I’ve got Chenle. I’m happy."

The toddler squeaked at the mention of his name and wriggled towards him. Smiling, Kun pulled him into his arms. Immediately, Chenle snuggled up against his neck, burying his chubby fingers in his hair.

"A boyfriend is a thing I want, but not something I'll ever need, okay?"

"And we get that," Jungwoo reassured him. 

"Nonetheless," Lucas continued. “It wouldn't hurt you to get laid."

Kun decided to take it the way Lucas had intended and laughed. "Yeah, probably."

Jungwoo beamed and pulled out his phone.

"Oh my god, not Johnny though!"

"Why not?" Jungwoo gave him the puppy eyes. "He said he's interested in you."

"I'm still perfectly capable of finding—" Kun covered Chenle's ears with his hands, coaxing a giggle out of him—“a sex partner myself, thank you."

"Not as long as you call it a sex partner." Lucas laughed, taking the toddler from his arms and settling him on his hip. "See you tomorrow!" 

Kun looked after his friends with an unbelieving shake of his head. As soon as he was alone, he slumped down on the tiny swivel-stool behind the till and rubbed his eyes. It was six in the evening. Eight hours left.

*

It was stupid.

“This is stupid,” Kun told his reflection in the four tiny windows of the apartment door. Muffled R’n’B was sounding through the white furnished wood. For a moment, Kun contemplated just placing the cheap bottle of wine he had bought on the door mat, but then that wouldn’t have the effect he was aiming for. 

With a sigh, he knocked against the door. He repeated the action after he had counted to twenty in his head and was about to give up when the door flew open and he was met with the sight of a very wet, very naked (again) Ten. His neighbour must have come straight out of the shower, water dripping from his hair onto his shoulders, his hand holding a towel around his waist.

"You're not wearing a shirt," Kun blurted out.

Ten blinked at him. He shook the wet hair matted against his forehead out of his eyes before a blinding grin took over his features. "Why, you bothered by that?"

The way Ten said it was easy, teasing. But Kun heard the careful undertone, attentive. Kun had done a similar thing himself before. Ten was gauging his reaction, trying to figure out how uncomfortable Kun was with the idea of being accused of liking it. 

“No, actually.”

Ten’s eyes widened before the skin around them crinkled. His voice was a lot softer, less cocky, when he asked. "How can I help you this time, Kun?"

"I wanted to apologise. For yesterday night, I mean. I was kinda grumpy and I, uhm, ruined your party." He kept his gaze on a drop swimming in the dip of Ten's collarbone as he handed the other man the bottle. “I bought you wine as a welcome present, kind of?”

Ten’s fingers brushed over his as he took the bottle. "Thank you."

"To good neighbourship." Kun pumped his fist in the air. That was until he realised what he was doing and quickly let it drop. “I mean, uh, I have to go…right now.”

Before it could get any more awkward, Kun turned around. He moved too fast to see the smile on Ten’s face falter. 

He had nearly made it to his door when Ten’s voice called him back, “Hey, Kun?”

He spun back around. “Yes?”

Ten grinned at him, lifting the bottle of wine as if to salute him. “Not to mention it, but there’s a piece of gummi bear in your hair.”

*

Kun opened his mailbox with a yawn that quickly turned into a groan as the pile of unopened bills landed at his feet. With a muttered curse he bent down to pick them up. He startled when he spotted a letter that was bigger than the others, heavier as well. Growing curious, he picked it up, weighed it in his hand before lifting it to his face. The envelope was pristine white, his address on the bottom. Humming, Kun flipped it around. As soon as he had read the first two lines of the sender’s address, his heart began to race. The envelope fell to the ground, having slipped from his fingers. Kun felt like the paper had seared his skin.

 _No,_ he thought, followed by a violent shake of his head. His fingers were shaking when he scooped the envelope back up, along with the rest of the bills. In lack of a better idea, Kun threw them past the threshold and into his flat, slammed the door shut behind them. He knew they would still be waiting for him when he came back. The letter would still be waiting for him when he came back. Now, however, he was safe. The door was between them. Forcing himself to calm down, Kun hurried over to Jungwoo and Lucas’s flat.

He nearly had a heart attack when he knocked on the apartment door with the number 3C on it. Because that was neither Lucas nor Jungwoo opening the door. 

It was Ten, greeting him with an easy smile as if he was home here. “Hey.”

“Uh.” Kun failed to form words as he stared at the other man. 

At least Ten was wearing a shirt this time. Well, that was an understatement. Ten was not simply wearing a shirt. He was wearing a floral-patterned silk shirt, unbuttoned nearly down to his navel to show off the gorgeous definition of his torso. Kun almost wished the shirtless version of him back. He was pretty sure that would have been easier to handle.

"Oh, hey, Kun, finally! We were about to start without you." Jungwoo appeared behind Ten, waving him into the flat. A confused smile appeared on his face when Kun didn't react. Jungwoo perked up, though, after he had followed Kun's line of vision. "Oh, right, sorry. Kun, this is Ten. He lives in 3A. Ten this is—"

"Kun from 3B," Ten finished for him, sly smile lighting up his features. "We've met before."

"Oh." Jungwoo looked lost for a moment. Then he grinned. “Amazing. C’mon in, Kunnie.”

“Right, c’mon in, Kunnie.” Before Kun knew what was happening, Ten was there, all up in his space, pulling him into the flat. 

Helplessly, he stumbled forward. Kun crashed full-frontal into the side of Ten’s neck, his mouth pressing against soft skin.

 _Smells like pine,_ Kun thought before he was steadied by the hand Ten had wrapped around his upper arm.

Ten’s laughter was soft in his ears. “Whoa, you alright there?”

Quickly, Kun disentangled himself. He coughed. “I’m fine.”

Ten’s gaze was gleaming with mirth as he eyed him up and down. Then he nodded at Kun, close-mouthed smile creating tiny dimples in his cheeks. “Alright, then.”

With that, Ten sauntered off into the kitchen area to help Jungwoo set the table. Kun was left standing next to the entrance door, trying to fight off the weird, tingly feeling in his stomach.

After having gained back his composure, he straightened his own shirt, a ratty old Nike cut-off that he was wearing solely because it was the most comfortable piece of clothing he owned. He didn’t regret it. The grey complimented his eyes and matched his beanie. Nevermind the orange splatters of pasta sauce Chenle had smeared onto the kangaroo bag that refused to come out, no matter how often Kun put the sweatshirt into the washing machine. At least his hair was gummy bear free this time.

By the time he had made it to the table, Jungwoo was already digging into his muesli and Ten was pouring himself some orange juice.

“You want some as well?” Ten asked him. 

Kun nodded, plastering the friendliest smile on his face he could muster. “Yes, please.”

It turned out to be manageable, the whole breakfast affair. Occasionally, Ten would ask Kun something or their knees would bump and sometimes, just sometimes, Kun caught Ten looking at him with this look in his eyes that, Kun was pretty sure, had the potential to ruin him if he just held Ten’s gaze long enough. 

The rest of the time Kun spent making light conversation with Jungwoo and enjoying his Lucky Charms. His peace was ruined, however, when a loud clattering sounded from behind what Kun knew was the bathroom door. It was followed by the exact same door flying open and hitting the appendant wall with a bang to reveal a very exasperated looking Lucas. 

The front of his shirt was drenched, water dripping from his curls onto his shoulders. He was holding Chenle in his arms, as far away from himself as possible. Kun barely had time to move his chair back before Lucas dumped him into his lap.

“That child has got some bullheadedness in him. I can’t get him into the tub for the life of me. Your turn, pops.”

Kun shot his friend an apologetic smile. Then he looked down at Chenle, who just smiled at him innocently, the guilty curve to his smile betraying his obliviousness to the situation. 

With a sigh, Kun stood up, simultaneously lifting Chenle onto his hip. He had just wanted one baby-free breakfast. Lucas’s offer to bathe Chenle for him had been a real blessing. One Chenle didn’t approve of, apparently. Not that Kun could actually be mad at him. Not when he tugged on his hair and smacked a wet kiss on his cheek. 

“Alright. We’ll be right back.” Kun made his way to the bathroom. 

He had nearly turned the handle when he heard Ten ask. “Whose is he?”

Kun could see his knuckles go white around the handle. He wanted to sigh. It had been fun, the flirting. Because that was what Ten had done. Kun wasn’t stupid. Ten had flirted with him and Kun had enjoyed it, had enjoyed pretending that he was oblivious to it. 

Kun sometimes even had shot a sassy remark back that just seemed to encourage the other man. Now that would be over. It always was. Schooling his expression into something neutral, Kun turned back around. Chenle’s hand on his heart soothed his pain.

“He’s mine.”

With that, he turned back around and pushed down the handle. Kun closed the door behind him before he could see any of Ten’s reactions.

*

There was a fluffy, human-shaped burrito next to him on the bed when Kun woke up on Tuesday morning. Tuesdays were one of Kun’s favourite days as he neither had to work nor go to class until the afternoon. He got to sleep an hour longer than usual. Usually. Right now, he was dragged into consciousness by his bedroom TV and the familiar stranger in his bed. A sob escaped from the mess of fluffy hair peeking out on top of the blanket burrito before being smothered by another spoon of ice cream. Kun's ice cream.

"Lucas!"

The top half of the burrito turned to reveal the face of his best friend. Lucas's eyes were red-rimmed, cheeks wet. 

Kun gaped at him. "Lucas! What the hell happened?"

The other man merely whimpered before breaking into a full on sobbing session. Kun felt his blood heat up. There were only two things that got Lucas all riled up like this. The finale of Grey's Anatomy’s fifth season and Jungwoo.

"I've told you, Lucas, Izzie is a bitch for leaving later on and doesn't deserve to be cried over. Also it was George's decision to jump in front of the bus, he wouldn't have wanted it any other way."

"N-no."

Ah. Jungwoo then. Kun sighed, rubbing his best friend's back. "Okay, then what happened between Jungwoo and you?"

"I—" Lucas broke off with a whimper. He frantically shook his head. "I can't say it. I can't."

Kun suppressed another sigh. "Well, you have to if you want me to help you."

Lucas looked at him. His bottom lip was still dangerously wobbling, but eventually he nodded. Wiping his nose with the back of his hand, he looked down at the ice cream pint in his lap. "I think that Jungwoo is cheating on me."

Kun’s head jerked up. Flabbergasted, he searched Lucas’ eyes. Lucas held his gaze for only a moment before he averted his eyes in order to shove another spoonful of ice cream into his mouth.

“What?” Kun asked.

Lucas sniffled, shrugged.

“No, Lucas. _What?_ Why would you think that?” Kun violently shook his head.

“He’s been distant.” With a sigh, Lucas set his ice cream pint onto Kun’s bedside table. “We went out for dinner yesterday and he spent the whole time glued to his phone. He never used to do that and now he is texting constantly. And when I asked him who was so important that they couldn’t wait for five seconds, he just mumbled and changed the topic.”

“Lucas.”

“And he’s always at the gym. What—what if he met someone there and—”

“Lucas!”

The curly-haired man looked up and at him. “What?”

“Breathe.” Kun rubbed his friend’s shoulder. “You are just driving yourself crazy.”

“Well, I will go crazy if I lose him, I-I can’t lose him Kun. I love him too much. I wouldn’t survive that.” Whimpering, Lucas flopped to the side. Kun draped himself over the Lucas ball of anguish and squished his nose into his best friend’s cheek.

Lucas rasped out a cough. “Ugh, go away.”

Kun grinned, blowing a raspberry into the crook of Lucas’s neck. Lucas shrieked, wriggling to throw Kun off of him. “Kun!”

Laughing, Kun rolled off the couch and onto the floor. He extracted his finger to poke at the skin he had just violated. “If that becomes a hickey, you can tell Jungwoo it was me. Now, breakfast?”

Lucas blinked at him. He closed his eyes, letting out a deep sigh before he sniffed, “Breakfast sounds good.”

*

Kun nudged the trunk of Lucas’s hatchback close with his chin. His arms were full with a bag of groceries on the left and his baby on the right. Chenle giggled at Kun’s struggles, curling his fingers around the nape of his neck.

“Baba, careful.”

As soon as the trunk had fallen close with a thud, Kun smiled at him. “See, got it.”

Chenle beamed at him, nuzzling his shoulder as he carried them up the stairs to their flat. Getting the keys out of his back pocket turned out to be a little more tricky. Chenle laughed as he was spun around while Kun tried to get the keys out by hopping in place.

Cursing under his breath, Kun wriggled around. “C’mon, goddammit.”

“You need help there?” 

Kun startled to find a pair of mirth-filled eyes fixed on him. Ten was leaning with his shoulder against the wall between their flats, an amused twitch to his mouth revealing barely concealed laughter.

“Stop, laughing at me.” Kun scowled. He felt his cheeks heat up.

“Mhm.” Ten pushed himself off the wall. 

A slight gasp escaped Kun when he felt Ten’s hand disappear into his back pocket.

“Got it.” Ten grinned at him, spinning the keys around his index finger before turning to open Kun’s door. 

Kun couldn’t help but stare at him.

His eyes trailed over the back of Ten’s head, his shoulders stretching the fabric of his silk shirt and further down. Kun wanted to sigh. Ten had a really nice butt. Just when he was about to admire the way the black skinnies clung to Ten’s thighs, he was hauled back into reality by a tiny, chubby hand landing on his cheek. _Right._ He shook himself out of it. These kinds of thoughts were inappropriate. There was a toddler present.

Chenle poked his tongue out at him and Kun crossed his eyes in retaliation. They pulled faces at each other until someone cleared his throat.

“Here, let me.” Ten took the grocery bag out of his arm. 

The close proximity let the scent of body wash and pine waft into his nose and Kun had to desperately, desperately pull himself together. Pushing Chenle up his hip, Kun followed Ten into his flat. Ten was already in his kitchen, busy unpacking the groceries.

“Thank you,” Kun said, once he had sat Chenle down on his play-rug.

“No problem.” Ten smiled at him.

“Eggplants?” He held up the purple vegetable, laughing. “I thought these were only emojis.”

“No. I’m making baba ghanoush tonight.”

“You cook?” Ten’s eyes shone. 

Kun blinked. “Yes?”

“I love baba ghanoush.” 

Kun took a deep breath. “Well, you can join us? If you want, I mean? Jungwoo and Lucas should come by in an hour or so anyways, so.”

“I’d love to, Kun.”

Ten saying his name like that did things to Kun’s stomach. Warm, tingly things. Kun’s thoughts were interrupted by the ear-splitting wail of a two-year-old. Alarmed, he turned around and ran into the living room. He found Chenle sitting on the ground next to the coffee table, the heavy glass orb Jungwoo had put in the middle of it as decor next to

him.

“Le!” Kun crouched down, scooping him up.

“Hurts.” Chenle sobbed, pointing to his left foot.

Cooing, Kun wrapped his hand around the foot, peppering kisses to the soft baby skin. “What did you do, baobei?”

“Wanted the pretty ball, baba.”

Chenle sniffed, burying his face in his neck, sobs shaking his tiny body. 

Whispering sweet nothings in his ear, Kun rubbed a hand over his back while he carried him into the kitchen.

“Everything alright?” Ten asked.

“Yeah, the foot is not broken. He just got scared, I think.” Kun put Chenle in his high chair before turning to get him a piece of chocolate. When he turned back around it was to find Ten bent down in front of the high chair, crossing his eyes as Chenle tugged at his hair.

“Such a cute baby, you are.” Ten cooed. “What’s your name, little one?”

Chenle surveyed him with a contemplating look in his eyes, wiping the tears from his cheeks. Eventually,he smiled. “Chewnle.” He held up his hand, folding away his thumb, index and little finger. “I am two.”

Ten shook his hand with his thumb.

“Nice to meet you, Chenle. I am Ten. I am twenty-two. That’s twenty years older

than you.”

Chenle giggled. “Your hair is funny.”

Ten jutted out his bottom lip. “Do you not like it?”

Chenle’s eyes went wide, his hands grabbing the hem of Ten’s shirt. “No, I like it,” he reassured him. “Iss pretty.”

“Aw, thank you, little one. Your hair is very pretty as well.”

Smiling shyly, Chenle let him go in order to touch his own hair. “Thank you.” 

Kun chose that moment to make his presence heard. If he would have to watch the interaction between Ten and Chenle any longer, he might’ve melted. So he coughed, “Alright, folks, we gotta start cooking now.”

Ten righted himself, ignoring Chenle’s sad pout. “Okay.”

He rubbed his hands together.

“Let’s make that baba ghanoush, baba.”

*

The night’s air was cold, coaxing a shiver out of Kun’s body as he made himself comfortable against the damp brick wall next to his front door. It had been some time since he had last done this. Letting his head rest against the damp bricks, he unscrewed the bottle of whiskey in his hands. The liquor shimmered clear, almost black, in the weak light of the lamp post from the parking lot beneath him.

The first sip burned like hell. Even in his best times, Kun had always struggled with drinking straight from the bottle. But he wouldn’t think about that right now. This was not a night where he mourned what he had lost. This was about the problems in the present, the ones threatening to tear his life apart right now, _again._ Kun settled on smaller sips. Eventually, the burning stopped and turned into a sharp but bearable sensation down his throat.

Not the worst thing he had taken down there. The thought made Kun giggle. He could feel the buzz in his veins. The stars became brighter with every time he blinked and before he knew it, Kun was full on laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

Kun let his head loll to the side. There was Ten, a few feet away from him, standing in front of his door. Fucking 3A, Kun thought and went into another fit of laughter. It had been two days since they had last seen each other and apparently that was enough to make Kun’s heart hurt with how pretty Ten was. _Again._

“Everything is shit.”

Ten cocked his head to the side, dark eyes scrutinising Kun intently before he pulled his keys out of his door and began to slowly walk towards Kun. “Are you drunk?”

That was funny. Kun didn’t know why.

“Yes, sir!” He saluted, then sank back against the wall, laughing as he slid down the panelling.

He couldn’t stop staring up at Ten. 

God, he was so _pretty,_ with his shiny hair and fine features and plump, pink lips. Such a deep pink, such a perfect mouth. Kun wondered what it would be like to kiss those lips, feel them on his body. A dreamy sigh escaped his lips. “You’re pretty.”

A small smile tugged on Ten’s lips. “Well, thank you. You are hammered.”

Kun raised a finger, putting on a serious look. He couldn’t keep it up for long. Instead, he ended up wrapping his hand around Ten’s ankle—Ten had pretty legs as well—squeezing the muscle to get his attention. 

Kun smiled when he saw that he already had it. “It’s true.” 

Ten hummed. “Now that we have that sorted out, do you want to tell me why everything is shit?”

Kun contemplated that for a moment. “Sit?”

Ten did, slid down the wall next to him. Reflexively, Kun inched closer, trying to leech as much body warmth off of Ten as he could. 

Ten let him. Their knees and shoes bumped, pyjama pants against ripped skinny jeans, chucks against combat boots. Kun liked the sight, somehow.

“Booze?”

Ten declined with a silent shake of his head. Kun shrugged and took a sip.

He smiled when he took the bottle off his lips. “Basically, I have to become a hooker.”

“What? Wait, _what?”_

Kun sighed. “Daycare called today. They are levying their fees next year and want the deposit right now and I can’t afford it. And I can’t afford to drop out of uni to take over a better-paying job either because then I’ll never be able to afford a house with a garden for Chenle to play in. And he’s going to be a teenager some day and he’s gonna want clothes and sneakers and an iPhone and that’s not really in it if you don’t have a degree. Hence I gotta become a hooker. Sell my body to closeted, old man that have a wife at home and other creepers.” Kun giggled. It was better than crying.

“Wow.” Ten said. “Everything is shit.”

Kun set the bottle to his lips, tipping his head back as he swallowed. He coughed at the burn and dumped his head onto Ten’s shoulder. He was thankful that the other man let him.

Ten’s voice was sharp when he spoke, not as casual as before. “You are not going to prostitute yourself, though, Kun.”

“I fear I don’t have much choice.” Kun was only half-serious. Also desperate. “You have a better—” Kun stuttered when he felt Ten’s hand in his hair. “—plan?”

“Actually, I do.”

*

“Do you really think this is a good idea?” Lucas asked as Kun gathised a few of Chenle’s plushies and stuffed them into the already overfilled nappy bag. Lucas was leaning against the door frame of the toddler’s room, arms crossed in front of his chest, eyebrows scrunched up.

With a sigh, Kun scrambled to his feet, swinging the bag over his shoulder. He kept his voice as calm as possible as he met Lucas’s gaze and answered. “He’s a graphic designer which means he works from home so he’s got the time. And with the money I save when I only give Chenle into daycare twice a week, I can afford to work less shifts at the convenience store. Which then means more time to study and I can watch Chenle on the weekends myself and don’t have to ruin yours every time.”

“You don’t—”

“I know.” Kun smiled. “I’m just saying, try to see the whole thing like this, it’s like I would give Chenle to any other day mother.”

“Except your day mother dresses like a runway model and has fairy blue hair.”

Kun frowned. “Just because he has dyed hair and prefers his jeans ripped doesn’t mean he’s a bad person.”

“Yeah, but has he ever watched a child?”

Kun sighed. “Chenle likes Ten. About how many people can you say that?”

Kun could see Lucas’s resolution crumble.

“Chenle likes him,” Kun repeated. “That’s the most important thing. And it’s not like I have much else choice. I wrote him down all the necessities and the rest he’ll figure out like I did.”

At that, Lucas’s hands flew up into the air. Letting out a dramatic gasp, he waved one hand in between the two of them while placing the other akimbo. “Excuse you? _We_ figured it out.”

Kun smiled. “We did. It can’t be worse than teething, right?”

That coaxed a light giggle out of Lucas, the horrified undertone not going unnoticed by either of them. Lucas clapped Kun on the shoulder as Kun lead the way out of the room. “It can’t be worse than teething.”

Ten opened his front door with a smile that was way too blinding for such an early hour. It was barely seven. Kun could hear Lucas grumble behind him about happy people in the morning and coffee. Chenle in his arms squeaked and made grabby hands at Ten.

Ten pushed his door open further. “Hey, guys, come on in!”

The first time Kun had set foot into Ten’s apartment he had been blinded by anger and drunken people. Empty and in the daylight, the flat revealed itself to be what Kun could only describe as a “man cave” with its minimalistic furniture and tech toys strewn about everywhere. And it was meticulously clean. Not a corn of dust lay on any part of the grey furniture or the few red accents splattered all over the place in the form of pillows and vases.

Lucas seemed to be thinking the same thing. “Did you have to hide a corpse or why is it so clean in here?”

Horrified, Kun looked up from where he was settling Chenle down on Ten’s sofa.

“I, uh, actually I did some googling and they said that if you mop your floors every fortnight that reduces the chance of your child getting sick by half,” Ten told them, his cheeks and ears tinting red.

Kun felt something inside him melt and pour down his insides. 

Lucas huffed, ignoring Kun’s scolding look, and walked back to the door. “You coming, Kun? We’re already running late and I have to open up the shop.”

Kun nodded and Lucas disappeared.

“Sorry about that,” Kun said the moment Lucas had left. “He’s normally not that moody.”

To his surprise, Ten just laughed. “It’s alright. I get it.”

Kun’s answer was cut short by the sound of a car honking outside. With a sigh, Kun turned to Chenle and puckered his lips. Immediately, Chenle squished his mouth against his, curling his tiny fist into the collar of his work shirt.

“Bye, baba.”

“Bye, baobei. Uncle Tennie will look after you, okay?” 

Chenle blinked, looked at Ten. He jutted his bottom lip out, looked back at Kun and nodded, his wispy curls bouncing.

“Alright.” Rubbing his thumb over Chenle’s cheek, Kun rose to his feet. “I have to hand in some assignments after work so I’m going to be back at around seven? If anything happens, don’t hesitate to call me!”

Ten saluted. “Alright.”

“Back soon?” Chenle’s voice called after him when Kun was already at the door.

“Of course, Lele. I’ll be back in no time.” 

With a smile on his face and a heavy heart, he shut the door behind him. Kun spent a few seconds unmoving, watched through the four diamond-shaped windows around the spy of Ten’s door how Ten sat down next to Chenle and helped him crawl on top of his stomach. 

Kun could hear Ten laugh through the closed door when Chenle buried his hand in his hair, pressed his favourite penguin plushie, the one Kun had bought his for his second birthday, against his cheek. Letting out the breath that had been stuck in his throat, Kun turned to walk down the stairs leading onto the car park.

*

Kun had made it until lunch break before he caved and looked at his phone. He had it on vibrate so he would have known if Ten would have called and he hadn’t. But it was possible that Kun just hadn’t noticed, or that he had accidently touched the silent switch or—Kun’s heart stopped when he saw that Ten had texted him. Heart hammering in his chest, he scrambled to unlock his phone. 

A relieved sigh escaped him when he saw that Ten had sent him not more than a winking face. Underneath was picture attached of Chenle sitting on the carpet in front of Ten’s TV, playing with his The Little Mermaid plushie while the movie was showing on the screen behind his.

“What are you grinning at?”

Instead of an explanation, Kun just turned the screen of his phone so Lucas could see past the pile of toilet paper packs he was carrying.

“Well, at least he’s got taste in children’s movies.”

Kun furrowed his brows. “What is your problem?”

Lucas’s eyes went wide in mock innocence. Kun raised his brow and Lucas frowned, dropping all false pretense. “Fine, it’s just...I don’t trust him yet, okay?”

“Lucas.”

“How long have we known him, huh? Five minutes and what? Jungwoo and he are gym-buddies already and your heart-eyes are bigger than the fricking moon.”

“Oh my god, Lucas.” Kun’s felt his eyes widen, his jaw drop, as he realised what was going on.

“What?” Lucas scowled at him.

“You are jealous.”

“I am not!”

Grinning, Kun poked his best friend’s nipple, fully taking advantage of the fact that Lucas couldn’t defend himself. “Yes, you are. Also I don’t have heart-eyes.” 

Now it was Kun’s turn to scowl.

Lucas huffed. “Fine, maybe I am. But he just, he hasn’t suffered yet, you know? We nearly killed ourselves raising that baby, Ten doesn’t get to swoop in and just receive all the hugs and kisses. He hasn’t been peed on in public while pushing a full cart of groceries, so he doesn’t deserve them.”

“Aw.” Kun cooed, making kissy faces at his best friend. “I’ll make sure to tell Chenle to be a tiny devil tomorrow, would that make you feel better?”

Lucas tilted his chin up and away. “Maybe.”

“Alright, then. Any more demands for the initiation ritual?”

“No, that’s all.”

“Great. Now let’s get back to work, our break ended two minutes ago.”

“If you can contain your daydreaming. I’m pretty sure you drooled on a few of those magazines you had to sort this morning.”

“Lucas!”

“Don’t deny it, Qian. You have a crush on your day mother.”

“I—” 

Lucas didn’t give him a chance to answer. Giggling like a mad man, he disappeared into the toiletries aisle, leaving Kun to man the till.

*

“Again, thank you so much for doing this.”

Ten waved him off. “No problem. Chenle was a gem, so.”

Kun suppressed the shudder that wanted to work its way through his body when Ten’s hand landed on the small of his back. Plastering a smile onto his face, he took a step out of Ten’s proximity, a step closer to breathing normally and trudged over to where Chenle was peacefully sleeping, sprawled out on a pillow of Ten’s, Mr Pingu pressed to his cheek.

“Hey, baobei.” Gently, Kun coaxed his son into consciousness.

“Baba?” Chenle rubbed his eyes, blinking at him. 

Kun smiled. He recognised the gesture from his childhood. “Yeah, it’s me. It’s time to go home.”

Yawning, Chenle stretched his arms out, demanding to be carried. All too happily, Kun complied.

He had missed his baby over the day. Humming, he buried his nose in Chenle’s hair as he carried him over to the door.

“Have a good night, Ten. Thank you again.”

Ten’s smile was soft when he opened the door for them. “Can’t wait for it. See you tomorrow.”

They were already out the door when Chenle stirred on his shoulder. “Bye, Tennie!” he squeaked, waving at Ten over Kun’s shoulder.

“Bye, Little Prince!”

Ten was waving back enthusiastically when Kun turned around.

“Goodnight then, Tennie.” 

“Goodnight, Kun.”

*

The restaurant was small and lovely, dark wooden walls and italian furniture creating a distinct hole-in-the-wall feeling. 

"A friend of mine recommended me this place. Their tagliatelle are supposed to be a revelation." 

Doyoung smiled at him, that nice smile of his. Nice was a good word to describe the guy in general. Kun could see why Jungwoo and Lucas had been so dead-bent on Kun going on a date with him. With his nice smile and well manners, Doyoung almost seemed too good to be true.

“Yeah, we will see.”

Kun smiled back and let the other man guide him to the hostess waiting for them at her desk.

*

"Goddammit." Kun cursed as he missed his keyhole for the third time. A giggle bubbled up inside him at his own clumsiness. He was so uncoordinated. Also drunk. Before Kun could try it for the fourth time however, his door swung open. 

Kun stumbled forward into his apartment. He would’ve probably landed on Chenle’s wooden walking bike if it wasn’t for the strong hands and the smell of pine steadying him.

"Kun?"

"Ah, whoopsie!” The giggling didn't seem to stop, every time Kun thought he had calmed down, he just cracked up again. "That could’ve gone wrong. Thank you."

Appreciatively, Kun patted Ten's upper arm, getting distracted by the lean muscle for a moment. God, Ten was so strong. What Kun would give to feel these arms around him.

"God, you're so strong." Kun sighed dreamily.

"Kun, are you--" Ten's nostrils flared as he inhaled Kun's breath. "Are you drunk?"

"Yes."

Ten's eyes widened. "Weren't you supposed to be on a date?"

Kun was too busy holding himself upright to notice the stern undertone to Ten's voice at that.

"Yesss. Do--Doie--Doyoung, Doyoung was nice."

"Oh."

"And so," Kun spread his arms wide out. Somehow he couldn't keep the dumb smile from his face, "boring."

 _"Oh."_ This time, Ten raised an eyebrow. Only one, though. 

Kun was jealous. He had always wanted to be able to do that. Pouting, he poked the eyebrow in question. Ten smiled, encircling Kun's wrist and pulling him further into the flat.

"Okay, Pinot Noir, let's get you on the couch. Then you can tell me all about your date."

Willingly, Kun let Ten drag him into the living room, didn’t even protest when Ten pushed him down on his sofa and kneeled down to untie his shoes. How could he? Ten looked so great between his legs, looking up at him through those lashes.

As soon as his feet were free, Kun flopped to the side. He hummed when Ten lifted his head in order to sit down, placed Kun’s head back on his thigh. Kun had always been an affectionate drunk, he craved physical touch and Ten seemed so eager to give it.

“Pat my hair?”

“Sure.” Ten smiled down at him. 

His fingers scraped over Kun’s scalp, making Kun’s eyes flutter shut. It was times like these where Kun was indefinitely thankful for Ten’s existence and the friendship they had built over the past weeks. 

It had been easy. 

Dropping Chenle off and picking him back up at Ten’s apartment had turned into invitations for breakfast and the exchanging of keys, a plate more at family dinner and this. Whenever Kun would be busy and Ten would jump in to watch Chenle, Ten would stay, wait up for Kun to come home. They were friends, best friends (even though Kun could never let Lucas hear that) and Kun loved every second of it.

He loved Ten. 

“Tell me about the date.”

“Oh, God.” Giggling, Kun rolled onto his side, burying his face in the soft pudge of Ten’s tummy. “It was so horrible.” He whispered. “So, so horrible.”

“Mhm.” Ten’s hum reminded Kun of a kitten’s purr. The thought made him giggle again.

“Well, it started out fantastic. Super nice guy, hot as fuck.” The purring ceased.

“Until he started talking.” Kun cringed even at the memory. “He held a thirty minute monologue about his iguana. His iguana, Ten.” Kun pried his eyes open and was pleased to find Ten looking back at him with the appropriate amount of horror in his eyes. Kun let his eyes droop close again. “And I’m pretty sure he’s still in love with his old roommate. If the rhapsody about the guy’s flawless skin was any indication.”

The purring started back up.

“In any case I needed a lot of wine to pull through.” Kun sighed dramatically. “Pretty sure by the end of the night, I just grabbed the bottle from the waiter. Can’t really remember.” 

Wriggling a bit to get more comfortable, Kun rubbed his forehead against Ten’s hip.

“So you’re not gonna call him?”

“No.” Kun smiled against the fabric of Ten’s flannel. “I told him our zodiac signs are incompatible. He was very understanding.”

Ten chuckled at that, the movement in Kun’s hair ceasing. “You tired?”

“Mhm. Chenle was good?”

“Yes, sweet as an angel. A bit mopey that I put him to bed and not you, but otherwise fine. He asked if you would come back soon.”

Kun smiled at that. It was nice to know that he was still Chenle’s favourite person. It made it easier to deal with the immense love and fondness he felt for his baby. 

Blindly, he reached a hand up until he had found Ten’s head. He groped around until he was cupping Ten’s cheek. “Thank you, Ten. Thank you so much, I’m—” Kun knew he was babbling, but he couldn’t help it. “—really thankful. You just have to know.” 

The longer Kun rambled on, the softer Ten’s features grew and it left Kun breathless. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the charge in the air, an amplified version of what had always been there between them, but in the end it didn’t really matter. 

Smiling, Kun tightened his grip on Ten’s hair and pulled him down, crashing their lips together.

*

Kun was awoken by a sharp, cold sensation against his temple. Groaning, he pried his eyes open to be met with gleaming dark eyes, honey skin and a pink mouth smiling at him.

“Wake up, sunshine.” Ten lilted at him, lifting the glass of cold water from his temple to press it in his hand instead. “Here, drink some water.”

“Oh, my God.” Kun whimpered at the light falling in through the blinds of his bedroom. His head was pounding. Gratefully, he took the aspirin Ten handed him. He swallowed down the glass of water in three huge gulps, wiping his mouth afterwards. “I’m never drinking again.”

Kun startled when he caught the way Ten was looking at him. Expectantly, somehow.

“Is something wrong?”

At that, Ten furrowed his brows.

“What? Oh god, I didn’t do something embarrassing last night, did I? Because,” Kun scratched the back of his head, willing the headache to go away, “I honestly can’t remember a thing.”

Ten’s eyes widened at that, his lips disappearing into a thin line. “You don’t remember?”

Hesitantly, Kun shook his head. “No? Did I do something bad?”

Ten blinked at him. There was silence, long enough for Kun’s heart to start beating uncomfortably in his chest, but then Ten was shaking his head and smiling. “Nothing happened. Don’t worry about it, Kun.”

Before Kun could ask any further, they were interrupted by a loud squeal, followed by the thundering of tiny feet over parquet. 

“What you do have to worry about is the fact that you promised Chenle to go to the zoo today,” Ten added with a grin.

Kun had barely time to brace himself before his door burst open and Chenle was jumping on his bed, crawling on top of him, flopping the sleeves of his Mickey Mouse pyjamas against his cheeks. “Baba!”

Kun winced at the volume of his voice. To his luck, Ten plucked him from his stomach and hoisted his on his hip instead. “Baba’s not fully awake yet, Little Prince. Let’s go eat breakfast first, yes?”

Chenle pouted at Ten, his head flicking around to search Kun’s eyes. “Zoo, baba.”

“I know, baobei. We’ll go to the zoo today.”

Chenle squealed, fisting his tiny hands in Ten’s hair. “Tennie?”

Ten looked at Kun for help who couldn’t help but laugh. “I think he wants to know if you’ll come too.”

“Oh.” Ten’s face lit up. “Yeah, I’d love to! Do you want me to come along?”

Chenle nodded, slapping his hands against Ten’s cheek with a giggle. The older man joined in. “Alright.”

“I’ll make us some pancakes. Go get ready,” Ten told him, already on the way to the door.

“Thank you, Tennie! You’re the best!” Kun was too busy crawling out of bed to notice the slight trip in Ten’s step at his words.

*

With a grunt, Kun crouched down and pulled the dresser open. His neck was beginning to strain where he had his phone jammed between his ear and shoulder.

“Okay, I’m here, what pair do you need exactly?”

Kun could hear Jungwoo roll his eyes fondly over the line. “It’s underwear, Kun, not my uniform. Just any pair. Nana got my spare one.”

Kun couldn’t help but frown upon that. “Who’s that?”

“New candidate. He’s inexperienced, didn’t bring a second set of clothes. I took pity on him.”

“Oh.” Kun bit his lip, closing his fist around a pair of navy boxer briefs. “Alright, I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks, Kun, you’re the best.” Kun could hear the bell go off over the line. ”Ambulance 61, Squad 3, Truck 81, house fire”, a booming, female voice announced, followed by the sound of thundering footsteps. “Oh shit, I gotta go. Thanks again.”

“No problem. See you in a few.” The line went dead.

Kun was about to push the drawer of Jungwoo’s dresser close when something caught his attention. 

Eyes growing wide, he pulled the drawer back open, hand flying to fumble for the small black box he had spotted. 

“No way,” he told the empty bedroom. 

He jumped up, pushed the boxer briefs into the half-full plastic bag and made a dash for the door.

*

Kun had waited in his car for about ten minutes when the fire engines rolled onto the lot of the firehouse. Pulling his beanie over his ears, Kun exited his car and sauntered over.

“Hey, Kun!” Jungwoo greeted him. He was still in full gear, face almost unrecognisable through the dirt and ashes smeared on his face. The weak moonlight wasn’t helping either.

“Hey, Woo.” Kun smiled and handed him the plastic bag containing boxer briefs, sweatpants and a hoodie bearing the logo of the firehouse. “Here you go, one set of clothes.”

“You’re a saint.”

“Nah, just a good friend. Speaking of, can I talk to you alone for a second?”

*

Kun pushed his front door open to find Ten snoozing on his couch. Chenle was sprawled out on his chest. His eyes were closed, breaths leaving his tiny body in a deep, steady rhythm. Kun couldn’t help but smile at the sight. The original plan had been to watch a movie with Chenle alone. They hadn’t been ten minutes into the live-action _Aladdin_ , however, when Ten had sauntered into the flat and flopped down on their couch. 

He had stolen Kun’s popcorn and half of his blanket before Kun had even said hello. But Kun wasn’t that surprised. It had become a thing. At this point, Ten practically lived with them. He even had his own toothbrush, a pink Barbie one Chenle had donated him after the second time Ten had slept on their couch, too lazy to walk the three metres to his own flat after having stayed up to welcome Kun after a late night shift. 

Kun savoured it. Ten was company, company he loved.

Carefully, he plucked Chenle off of Ten’s chest and settled him on his hip instead. A short glance at the clock above the TV told him it was already way past midnight. Once Chenle’s limp body was settled, Kun speed-walked into his room. Just as careful, he laid him back down in his bed. 

Kun was thankful he was already wearing his sleep onesie. Pressing a gentle kiss to his baby’s temple, he pulled the duvet over his small body and tip-toed back out of the room.

Ten was awake, in the process of sitting upright when Kun came back into the living room area.

“Hey.” Ten was blinking slowly, not fully awake yet.

“Hey.” Kun chirped back, settling down next to him. 

Not a second later, Ten’s head was on his shoulder. Kun smiled, bending his arm so he could card his fingers through Ten’s hair, something Ten loved as Kun had discovered.

“Did you give Jungwoo his pants?”

“Yup.” Kun suppressed the urge to stretch. “They just came back from an assignment. A house fire, or something.”

“Damn. I hope the people are fine.”

“Yeah, me too. Everything good here?”

Ten lifted his head to grin at Kun. “Can’t tell you. I think I fell asleep about five minutes after you left. Where’s the little one by the way?”

Kun turned to look at the closed door to Chenle’s room. “Put him to bed, already.”

When he turned back around, Ten was still looking at him. His eyes shone in the weak light of the TV and Kun knew it would happen, even before Ten leaned forward, even before their lips brushed for the first time. 

It felt so easy, kissing Ten, easy as breathing. Kissing Ten was natural and Kun savoured every single spark that went off in his mind, in his body. Huffing, he buried his fingers in the back of Ten’s shirt. 

It was Ten who broke for air first, attacked Kun’s neck a second later. Kun used the opportunity to blurt out. “Not here.”

Ten nodded in understanding, both their gazes flicking to Chenle’s door for a second. “Where?”

“My room. Soundproof walls, key’s in the lock.”

A dark grin spread over Ten’s face. “Good.”

Kun gasped as Ten pulled him up and then they were stumbling their way into his room. Ten didn’t let their mouths disconnect as he flicked the lock. The sound alone made Kun feel tingly. With his hands underneath Ten’s shirt, they fell onto his bed. Ten laughed as he landed on top of Kun, kissing the tip of his nose. “Eager, Qian?”

“Only for you, Ten.” 

Ten’s answer got muffled by the fabric of the silk shirt when Kun pulled it over his head. Kun had seen Ten shirtless several times before, but this time was different. This time he was allowed to kiss and touch as much as he wanted to, bury his fingernails in the soft flesh of Ten’s hips.

“Sorry, what was that?” he asked absentmindedly, tracing his fingers over the honey skin of Ten’s stomach.

“I said I hope so.”

Ten smiled down at him. His pupils were blown wide, teeth grazing over Kun’s bottom lip as he pressed his tongue flat against Kun’s mouth before nudging it open with his tongue. “Otherwise I’d be a bit offended. I’m not into sharing.”

Kun could tell by the hickeys that had already begun to bloom on his neck. “I wouldn’t have guessed.”

“Shut up.” Ten whined.

“I am about to touch your dick, be nice to me.”

Kun smiled and cupped Ten’s face, looking him into the eyes earnestly. “I’m not into sharing either.”

Ten’s smile went soft. Cradling Kun’s face in return, he pressed their lips together. Kun had no idea how long they remained like this, just kissing, tongues sliding against each other while Ten ground down on him with shallow thrusts. It was enough friction to get them both fully hard and finally make Kun squirm. With a purr, Ten detached his mouth from his jaw and pressed a sweet kiss to the sensitive spot before his ear instead.

The way Ten asked, voice all low and casual at the same time, was enough to make Kun’s hips buck up. “Want to fuck me?”

“Yes, I—yes, please.”

Ten grinned, rutting against him more insistently and Kun took that as his invitation. He flipped them over, wriggled down the mattress in order to settle in between Ten’s thighs. Moving his thumbs in circles over his hip bones, skin, he left a trail of wet kisses up his stomach. 

Kun could feel Ten’s muscles contract at the contact, his cock jumping in his too tight pants. A low whine escaped him when Kun began to palm him through his skinny jeans. 

“Such a nice body,” Kun told him. “Fuck, you don’t know how beautiful you are, Ten.”

Ten’s back arched with the praise. “You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.”

Kun lifted his head. “You did?” 

Ten looked at him with a cheshire cat smile and shrugged. “You got stuff?”

“Yeah, in my bedside table. Wait.” Kun stretched to reach for the drawer of the small table. 

A low gasp escaped him when he felt Ten’s hands push into his sweatpants. Shaking his head in a vain attempt to focus on the task at hand and not the hand currently palming his dick, he pulled the drawer open. By the time he had retrieved lube and condoms, Ten was idly jerking him off.

“Here.”

“Thanks, baba.”

A peck to his cheek and Ten had rolled out from under him. Kun craned his neck to see Ten kicking off his jeans. No easy task, considering their tightness. Kun pressed his face into his pillow when the mattress dipped again and he found himself rolled onto his back, Ten straddling his hips in all his naked glory. 

“You gonna do the honours?” 

Kun smiled and offered up his hand, let Ten smear lube onto his fingers before he brought them in between Ten’s ass cheeks, rubbing against the puckered muscle. It was mesmerising, watching Ten’s face change as he worked him open, the small shudders that went through his entire body when Kun pushed a finger in, then two. 

“Fuck, Kun,” Ten whined out, his hips bucking when Kun scissored his fingers. Kun could tell that he was impatient, ready to get it on, but Kun held him in place with a firm hand on his hip. 

Ten glared down at him and Kun grasped onto his neck instead, pulled him down to smash their lips together. Ten used the opportunity to drag his hard cock over Kun’s stomach, fucking himself back on Kun’s fingers. 

Kun quite liked the noises he made while doing so. He liked it when Ten whimpered his name. 

By the time he was using three fingers to stretch Ten open, the man on top of him was nothing but an incoherent mess. A thin sheen of sweat was covering his skin and his hands were fisted into the sheets by Kun’s head. 

“Think you’re ready?”

“More than that.”

Kun smacked his ass before he felt for the condom, laughing when Ten pushed it into his hands. He struggled to open it with his lube-slick fingers and eventually Ten huffed, taking it from Kun’s hands before ripping the package open and rolling the condom onto Kun’s length with practised movements. When Ten lifted himself up and positioned the head of Kun’s cock at his entrance, nervous excitement spread through Kun’s body.

It had been quite a while and never something serious, nothing going further than desperate hand jobs in club bathrooms and a few one night stands. This, on the other hand, this was serious. This was Ten. He liked Ten. Even more than that if Kun was being honest. He wanted, no, he needed this to be more than a one time thing.

“Ten?”

Ten looked down at him, molten lava in his eyes. “Yes?”

The words were stuck in Kun’s throat. Ten seemed to get them nonetheless. Smiling softly, he leaned down to press their lips together. The kiss was chaste, but deep. Kun smiled as Ten pulled away, stroked his cheek before he settled back into his prior position. 

Kun let his eyes flutter shut, focussed on the thrumming of his heart, the heat of Ten’s skin against his. “Okay, go.”

Ten sank down on him, gasping and circling his hips until Kun was almost fully sheathed inside of him and for a moment they just breathed, erratically but still in sync. He could tell Ten was struggling and so he pushed himself up until he could wipe the tears from Ten’s cheeks. 

“Alright.” Kun murmured into his skin, pressing soothing kisses against his ruddy cheeks. “Alright, you’re alright.”

He could see Ten try to breathe around the sting of the stretch and Kun knew hadn’t fully adjusted yet, but Ten motioned him to go on nonetheless. They moaned in unison when Kun bottomed out.

“Fuck, Kun, feel so good. Fuck.”

Kun couldn’t do much more than exhale. “Ten.”

He threw his head back, felt Ten’s nails rake over his chest before he dug them into Kun’s shoulders. 

“Amazing,” Kun told him. “You look so amazing, Ten.” 

He intertwined the fingers of their right hands, just for Ten to press their intertwined hands into the sheets, leveraging himself as he began to properly bounce on Kun’s cock. 

Kun lost all feeling of time, then, lost himself in the feeling of Ten’s heat on top of him, around him, the lovely little moans he uttered every time he would rock his hips and Kun could feel himself push into him just that much deeper. He felt nothing but bliss as Ten joined their mouths and held onto him tightly enough that it would be hard to ever let go again.

*

“Oh, my God.”

Sighing internally, Kun closed the door behind him. Before he met Lucas’s gaze, he set Chenle down on the floor and watched as the toddler waddled over to Jungwoo, who was cutting fruit in the kitchen area for their breakfast. 

“What the hell happened to you?”

Yawning, Kun scratched his chin. He had forgotten to shave this morning, too busy staring at Ten’s asleep form next to him. “Uh, I fell onto my vacuum cleaner?”

“Is that—are those hickeys? Qian Kun!” 

Kun cringed. Chenle looked up curiously from his spot on Jungwoo’s hip. Kun smiled at him reassuredly. That was until Lucas slapped him on the chest to get his attention. 

“Where did you get these from? Who gave them to you?”

“Uhm.” Kun considered coming up with an excuse. His plan was ruined, however, by Chenle blurting out a happy “Tennie!”

Kun knew he was referring to the shirt he was wearing, one of Ten’s many silk shirts. Lucas’ eyes went wide nonetheless. His jaw dropped upon Kun’s guilty expression.

“Oh my god, you did not.” Lucas looked near a heart attack. “Jungwoo.” Blindly, Lucas groped behind him. “Jungwoo, ears, now.”

Dutifully, Jungwoo clasped his hands over Chenle’s ears. “Ear muffs are in place, honey.”

“You did not fuck your babysitter!” Lucas hissed out. 

“Uhm.”

“Kun! When we told you to get laid we weren’t talking about Ten!”

Now, that made Kun frown. “Hey! It’s still my decision who I bed!”

“Yeah, but—”

“No.” Kun raised his finger. “That’s my decision. Besides, it’s Ten, okay? You know him, guys, c’mon.”

“Yeah, we do. Still, he could have a criminal record.”

“He does not have a criminal record.”

“You don’t even know his intentions.”

That made Kun smile. “Yes, I do.”

“He could—” Lucas broke off. “Wait, what? What do you mean?”

“I mean that—” Kun inhaled, let Lucas and Jungwoo suffer just that much longer— “I mean that he asked me to be his boyfriend this morning.”

*

Ten steered his car into the free parking spot a single mother in her Hyundai had just cleared for him. Despite the fact that it was barely seven on a Wednesday morning, the parking lot in front of the train station was bustling. After Ten had made sure he had his keys, phone and wallet, he exited the car and made a beeline for the entrance. He didn’t need long to spot the person he was looking for. 

Lucas was standing next to one of the information pillars in the middle of the hall. He looked like some kind of cartoon villain, in all black everything, the hood of his sweatshirt pulled over his head. Then, Ten looked presumably the same, in his equally dark clothes and leather jacket. 

“Dude!” Lucas greeted him, his big smile turning into a frown. 

Next thing Ten knew, Lucas had him in a headlock, his hand pushing down the back of Ten’s jacket.

“What the fuck?” Ten cried out. 

He was immediately silenced by an obscenely large hand clasping over his mouth. Lucky Jungwoo.

“Shhh, you idiot. Stop kicking up a fuss!” Lucas hissed, pulling the hood of Ten’s sweatshirt out of his jacket and over Ten’s head.

Wriggling out from under his arm, Ten freed himself. “What is wrong with you?”

Lucas rolled his eyes at him, decisively unimpressed. “I don’t know if anyone’s told you lately but your hair is quite noticeable. And we can’t have that today, all right? So hood up for you.”

Grumbling, Ten straightened out his clothes, but left the hood in place. “All right, but before you come near me again, can you please tell me what the hell is going on? Why did you wanna meet me here at ass o’clock in the morning?”

Lucas smiled. “Glad that you asked. We—oh shit! Take cover!”

Ten yelped when Lucas pushed him against the ad pillar. “What the—”

“Shh!”

Ten craned his neck to see what Lucas was looking at. He was surprised to find Kun walking by them, a mere three metres from them. Ten felt his heart rate speed up at the sight.

“Kun?” Ten asked. 

Kun looked good, in jeans and a green flannel that made him look just a little bit out of style. Ten hated how much he liked it. He was about to call out, but was cut off by Lucas’s elbow in his stomach. 

“Ow!”

“Shut up!” Lucas hissed. “Or he will see us.”

“But—”

“Nope.” Lucas raised his finger. “Alright, listen up. Kun’s gonna take a train pretty soon and we’re going to follow him. It’s very, very important that he doesn’t see us, understood?”

“Uh—”

“Do you understand that?” Lucas was terrifying like this. 

Ten wasn’t a weakling, but Lucas was gigantic and had a lot more muscle on him than Ten.

“I understand.”

A relieved sigh escaped him when Lucas let him go.

“Great. Now let’s go. We can’t lose him.”

Just like Lucas had said, they followed Kun onto a train to—Ten squinted at the screen, but he wasn’t wearing his glasses so he couldn’t make out the name amongst all the overs on the LED screen. 

“Where are we going?” 

“Don’t know. He picks randomly, I think.”

Ten realised then that he wouldn’t get any information out of Lucas, unless the other man wanted to give it to him. So he kept quiet during the train ride, busied himself with playing Bejeweled on his phone while Lucas across from him alternated between texting and peeking over Ten’s seat to get a glimpse at Kun at the other end of the compartment.

Once they had arrived in the city, it didn’t really become any clearer to Ten what they were doing. He had expected Kun to have a certain destination they were supposed to follow him to. Instead, the other man seemed to be just...strolling around. From spending the morning in the shopping district (where Kun didn’t buy anything), to eating lunch at a small café and getting ice cream once the sun began to settle, Ten not once saw Kun even interact with anyone except vendors. 

“Lucas?” Ten asked some time after lunch as they watched Kun snap a picture of a dog in the park they had wandered to.

“Mhm?”

“What the hell are we doing? Why are we following Kun like some third-class stalkers?”

The other man smiled. “We’re keeping an eye on him.”

“I don’t get it.”

Lucas shrugged and Ten gave up, turning his attention back to his boyfriend. 

At least watching Kun was a thing that wasn’t boring. All confusion aside, Ten kind of loved it. Loved to study the way Kun moved, how the sun caught in his hair and made his skin gleam. Kun was beautiful and Ten was in love. In love with his boyfriend. Ten grinned as they marched on.

It wasn’t until they were standing on the sidewalk opposite of a small movie theatre that Kun had wandered into that Ten spoke again.

“You smoke?” Disbelieving, he stared at the cigarette in Lucas’s hand.

“Occasionally, mostly after work or when uni stresses me out.” Lucas shrugged. “Don’t tell my boyfriend, though. He’s a firefighter, he doesn’t like me smoking. Oh, also please don’t tell Kun, for that matter. He’d kick my ass.” 

Lucas flicked the lighter open and held the flame to the tip of the cigarette. Ten watched the first cloud of smoke billow out of his mouth. A thought crossed his mind. “You don’t do that around Chenle, do you?”

“Woah, baba calm down.” Lucas raised his free hand, laughing. “Of course not! Kun would kill me! Hell, I’d kill me. I’d never do anything that could harm Chenle. I love that child more than my life. I helped raising him, afterall.” Lucas’s chest swelled with pride. “Not to boast or anything, but without me Kun would’ve never made it.”

Ten nodded. He had gathered as much from the stories Kun had told him before. 

After a short period of contemplation, Ten decided to just ask. "You really love him, don't you?"

Lucas grinned at him. Ten could tell he was seeing straight through Ten, knew what he really wanted to know. 

"Of course.” Lucas took another drag. “Kun is like my brother, has been since secondary school and I owe him the best thing in my life, so."

"What’s that?"

"Jungwoo," Lucas said simply, “without Kun, I never would have met him."

Ten shifted slightly where he was sitting on the wall, made himself more comfortable on the cold stone. "How come?"

A fond grin spread across Lucas's face, one he failed to hide behind his cigarette. "Six months ago, Kunnie dragged me to this kindergarten carnival thing some of the parents from the daycare had organised. In order to let the kids learn something, they had called the local fire department and booked one of their shows. Woo was one of the firefighters they sent."

Lucas shrugged, but Ten saw straight through him, saw it in happy curve to Lucas's mouth and the pride gleaming in his eyes.

"That's really nice, Lucas. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks, I'm happy too. When we were younger I like—well actually, Kun and me, we got around, yeah? Two young, stupid boys away from home? We lived it all, slept around a lot and—I don't know. It was wild and fun, but while I think that kind of life gives you a lot, it also takes from you. 

“Don't tell anybody, but when it all happened and Kun became a dad from one night to the other, a part of me was glad. That it was over, all the parties and the bullshit. I think I might have lost my best friend otherwise.” 

Lucas was silent for a moment, blowing the smoke out of his nostrils. “Kun did a lot of things he never would’ve done if it wasn’t for me. He almost got lost in it, but Chenle grounded him and gave him purpose. They saved each other and even though Chenle’s not his son, he's still the most important person in Kun's life, in all our lives, really. And I think you have to know that, if you want to be with him."

Lucas’s gaze was sharp when he looked at Ten, clear like ground jewels. There were a thousand things reeling through Ten’s mind at that. 

Eventually, he asked about the one detail that stood out to him the most. "What do you mean Chenle is not his son?”

“Oh, Chenle is Kun’s son. Kun is just not his father. Not his real one, anyways.”

“I don’t understand.”

Lucas smiled, mirthless. He flicked the butt of the cigarette to the ground, watched a lady in heels walking by stomp over it. “Chenle is Kun’s nephew. Kun’s sister and her husband died in a car crash two years ago. Kun has another brother, but he’s serving in the military so there was no one else to take Chenle in.”

“Oh.” Ten felt his heart pick up pace. “What about their parents?”

This time, the smile vanished from Lucas’s face, mouth disappearing into a thin line. “They exist.”

“Couldn’t they have taken Chenle in?”

“No.” Lucas looked up, let his gaze flick over the people walking by before he met Ten’s eyes. “They’re much too old, so we couldn’t give him to them.” 

Lucas smiled. It was one of those smiles that were smiled in the face of catastrophes, Ten realised, when there was nothing else to do but smile. “There were nights when we considered it, of course. Being held awake by a crying baby for thirty hours plus makes you consider murder, to be honest. The prospect of silence, heavenly silence and not having to share a twin sized mattress anymore because you’re too poor to buy a crib so the baby gets the second bed, man, that was tempting. But we never did it. 

“Because all that shit was better than having to live with the knowledge that we gave up on him.” 

The tight set to Lucas’s jaw told Ten more than words ever could have. “Kun has cared for Chenle since his nineteenth year of being. He’s changed Chenle diapers, held him when he cried and cheered him on when he got to discover the world. 

“Chenle belongs to Kun. He’s his son and, yeah, Kun may oversleep sometimes, and he can’t buy Chenle everything the baby wants, but as long as Chenle is with him, he’ll always be safe. He’ll always be allowed to be himself, whoever that may be. As long as Chenle’s with Kun, he’ll always have a lot of love and a happy home.”

Ten could see such fond, such strong faith in Kun in Lucas’s eyes. He felt the same feelings blossom in his own chest. Ten loved Kun, had loved him since the moment he had found him drunk in front of his door with nothing but grief and stars in his eyes.

“What I’m trying to say is”, Lucas placed a hand on his shoulder, “Kun doesn’t let people in that easily. So savour it, not only that he let you into his life, but also Chenle’s. Don’t fuck it up, okay?”

Ten’s reply came easy. It had always been clear to him, now more than ever. “I won’t.”

“Great.” Lucas jumped off the wall, pulled Ten down by his sleeve and into a hug. “Otherwise I’ll get Jungwoo to hold you down while I chop off your dick.” Lucas beamed at him. “Now c’mon the movie’s over, they’re coming out.”

They followed Kun down the street and watched him haul a cab. Ten couldn’t quite tell if it was Lucas or their own cab driver who got more excited when Lucas told him to “follow the cab in front of us!”

Thirty minutes and fourty-six dollars of cab money later, they had ended up in front of a club downtown.

“The Seventh Sense,” Lucas read, looking up at the neon sign at the front of the building. It was bright in the night, pounding bass was making the asphalt beneath their feet vibrate. “That’s the same club as last year.”

“Last year? Kun has done this before?”

“Every year since the accident,” Lucas confirmed. “He calls it ‘getting lost in the city’. It’s what he does. Three hundred and sixty four days of the year, Kun works himself to the bone. His birthday belongs to him.”

His birthday. Kun’s birthday. Ten hadn’t known that.

“C’mon, there’s enough people between us now, we can join the queue.” 

Willingly, Ten let Lucas pull him to the other side of the street.

The music inside the club was deafening, effectively shutting out every possibility of having a conversation. That was the intention, though, Ten figured. People didn’t come here to have a conversation. They came to dance and drink.

Lucas and Ten positioned themselves at the railing of the second floor gallery, giving them a perfect view on the moving, grinding mass below them. It made Ten’s stomach coil a bit, having to watch all these strange people touch, grope, grind against his boyfriend. 

He understood it, though. The person down there was not Kun. Down there was an old version of his boyfriend, the nostalgic reenactment of a long gone boy. Ten wouldn’t take that away from Kun because he was jealous. Ten had him in the present, afterall. 

So he kept silent while Lucas and him watched Kun dance with everyone who made him dance with them, rush down every beverage that was handed to him. It was a few hours later, when Kun stumbled out of the crowd and in the direction of the bathroom.

“Should we go after him?” Ten bellowed over the music. 

He was worried, and Lucas seemed too. He nodded and they began pushing their way through the crowd. By the time they had made it down the stairs, across the dance floor and into the dingy bathroom, Ten was panting.

“Check the other cabins!” Lucas told him, making a beeline for the last cabin in the row. Ten was glad to see the lock wasn’t flicked. Quickly, he did as he was told, kicking the stall doors open with his foot. As soon as he was sure they were alone, he followed Lucas. It was then that he could hear it. The distinct sound of retching, previously overpowered by the music spilling in through the open door. 

Ten blinked, rounded the corner to find Kun kneeling on the tiles, clinging to the metal bowl of the toilet. Lucas was standing with his legs apart above him, one arm slung around Kun’s middle, the other holding his sweat-damp bangs out of Kun’s face.

“It’s okay. It’s okay, bro. Get it all out.”

“Hurts.” Kun pressed out, then he was spewing again. From this close of a proximity, Ten could see how Kun’s skin was heated, his eyes bloodshot. 

Ten didn’t even want to imagine the massive hangover that was waiting for Kun in the morning.

“I know, bro, I know,” Lucas soothed. “Hey, remember that summer we spent in Hong Kong and you got us involved with those weird hipsters? That night we got wasted with the guy with the beard?”

“Worst night of my life.”

“Exactly. You survived that, you can survive this.”

Instead of an answer, Kun buried his face in the toilet bowl again. Ten felt utterly useless as he watched Kun’s body shiver, cramp up and hurl over and over until finally, the last of alcohol seemed to have left his body. Lucas seemed to have sensed it, because in the next moment, he was falling to the ground, already there when Kun’s body collapsed.

“Woah, buddy, I got you. Ten?”

It was like someone had kicked Ten in the shin. “Shit, yeah, sure. Sorry.”

Ten hurried to help Lucas pull Kun into a halfways comfortable position on Lucas’s chest. By the time Ten let go, Kun was laughing. 

His vowels were slurred when he said, “I was wondering when you two would show yourselves. Lucas does this every year, follows me around town.”

“Friends don’t let other friends mourn alone,” Lucas said.

“Friends, friends,” Kun sang. “You’re a good friend, Lucas, Lucas…Lucas.” 

Kun gripped the hand Lucas had rested on his chest. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, seeing Kun’s expression crumble. 

The next words left Kun's mouth in a whisper, got louder with every syllable. “I miss her, Lucas. I can’t—I can’t do it. I can’t do it. I’m not her.” 

The words were slurred and Kun was crying, hysterically. “What if I mess it all up? What if he will grow up to hate me? I miss her so much, Lucas. I miss my jiejie. I miss my sister.”

Ten felt his heart break upon the whimpers Kun let out and he knew then, that this was it. This was the worst it would get. It didn’t scare him. This was his family now so he did the only thing that came to his mind. 

Crouching down, he grasped onto Kun’s hand, lifted his chin up with the other so Kun was forced to meet his eyes as he promised him, “You are not alone, Kun. You are not alone.”

*

Kun hummed when he felt hands on his shoulders, gently massaging the sore muscles.

"Don't stop," he murmured when the movement ceased, was replaced by balmed lips bumping against the hell of his ear.

"You gotta come to bed, Kun, it's three am." Ten's voice was soft, but unmistakably scolding. 

Kun couldn't blame him. He had promised the last time this had happened that he would come to bed. And the time before that. With a groan, he lifted his head off the table. He could feel the keyboard-shaped indents on the right side of his face as he rubbed a hand over his face. 

"Yeah, let me just—I just have to write the conclusion, then I'm done with this paper."

Ten frowned at him. "The conclusion can wait, Kun. You need sleep. Now."

"No." Kun whined as Ten pulled him away from the dining table by his chair. "If I get it done now, I have the weekend free, please."

Ten sighed. "Kun." He walked around the chair, wedged Kun's legs apart with his knees before crouching down. "If you don't come to bed with me now, you'll be dead the whole day tomorrow."

Kun's eyes fluttered closed when Ten’s hand cupped his cheek, calloused fingertips pressing against his jawbone. It was so easy to listen to Ten’s voice, soft and coaxing. Kun felt his resolution crumble. 

Letting the air stream out through his nose, he nodded, kept his eyes close as he leant forward and pressed their lips together. “Okay. You are right, okay.”

“Thank you.” The relief in Ten’s voice was audible.

They hadn't talked about it, his birthday and what had happened in the bathroom of the club, but Kun knew there was a decision that Ten had made. 

He saw it in the way Ten would look at him when Kun was cooking dinner for them, heard it in the words Ten would whisper into his ear late at night and first thing in the morning. More than anything, Kun felt it whenever Ten touched him, the fleeting pressure of a hand when walking by, lips on his neck, on his mouth, Ten’s chest against his and his weight on top of Kun, arms around Kun’s body keeping him close.

 _What did I do to deserve you?_ Kun wanted to ask. _What can I do to make you stay?_

"I love you," Kun said, slowly prying his eyes open. It knocked the breath straight out of his lungs, how true his statement was. 

Kun was met with the beginnings of a blinding smile, edged into the corners of Ten's mouth, gleaming in his eyes. Ten pulled him in by placing a hand on the small of Kun's back, guiding them towards the bedroom. 

Ten didn’t say it back right away, but he didn’t have to. 

Kun saw it in Ten’s eyes as his body hit the sheets of his bed and Kun followed him, so much adoration in his eyes. Kun heard Ten mouth the words into his skin as Ten undressed him gently, without haste. 

Sleeping with Ten that night was a slow affair. They took their time panting into each other’s mouths, working each other up and Kun working Ten open, his fingers intertwining with Ten’s hands clamped in the sheets when Kun pushed into him deep, deeper, too deep as that they would ever be able to be separate entities again. 

Ten said it out loud afterwards, nothing more than a whisper in the heavy air of the bedroom. “I love you too.”

The first rays of light fell through the slits in the blinds and Kun fell into blissful sleep.

*

Kun was adjusting the tiara on his head when somebody behind him wolf-whistled. 

“Damn, baba, you do make a pretty princess.”

Kun could feel his cheeks burn as he turned around. He wasn’t embarrassed about the crown he was wearing. It was for his son and his current obsession with playing a knight that saved people, so there weren’t really any boundaries or society-inflicted gender roles Kun cared about.

"You broke the dress code, Ten. Everybody has to wear something pink.” Disapprovingly, Kun eyed the other man up and down, dressed in all black from his beanie-covered hair to his combat boots. “That’s why it’s called Pretty In Pink Party."

Ten grinned at him from where he was standing next to the refreshments table. "Oh, but I am."

And with that Ten pulled the beanie off his head, revealing that the reverse skunk was gone, had been replaced by soft bubblegum pink. Kun's gasp was overtoned by the ear-piercing shriek Chenle uttered.

"Tennie!" The toddler screamed, abandoning his friends gathered around the picnic table in favour of running toward them. Bouncing up and down, he flailed before catapulting himself into Ten's arms. 

Ten caught him with practised ease. He laughed as Chenle buried his fists in the pink strands.

"You like it, Little Prince?"

Chenle’s answer was an incoherent mess of vowels, squealing and giggles. Ten let him babble on for a good two minutes before he interrupted him, producing a pink-wrapped parcel from behind is back. He handed it to his with the words “Happy birthday, baby.”

Kun watched in awe as Chenle calmed within the blink of an eye. It was like someone had plucked his cable out of the socket.

“Me?” The now three year-old asked with huge eyes.

Ten smiled, poking out his tongue as he nodded. “Yes, go ahead. Open it.”

Beaming, tiny fingers wrapped the pink paper apart. Inside was a set of lego duplo, the front showcasing a fully assembled dragon. 

Chenle let out an excited shriek, running off to show his friends. 

Ten pouted after him. “No thank you kiss?” 

Kun rightened that wrong. “Thank you, Tennie.” 

Ten grinned, draping Kun’s arms around his waist. “You’re welcome, baba. Now, where’s the cake?” 

Without waiting for an answer, Ten pecked him on the lips and stomped off to where Jungwoo was busy fending off the single mothers at the buffet table. Kun blinked a couple of times trying to make sense of the giddy twitch to Ten’s movements. He was clapped back into reality by Lucas, who appeared next to him, arms crossed in front of his chest, scowl on his face.

“Look at that,” Lucas seethed, glaring at the lady who not so subtly was feeling up Jungwoo’s bicep. “They’re like fucking vultures. Just because he came with the truck.”

Kun smiled. Chenle had freaked out when Jungwoo had arrived at the park with his squad engine. This was also the reason why there were currently about half a dozen firefighters milling in between the about thirty children scattered around the picnic tables or bouncing in the bouncy castle which had been Lucas’s present. Kun was quite proud of the party he had organised. Everybody was happy, eating cake and showing off their pink items coherent with the dress code. More than anything, Chenle seemed over the moon.

“I don’t think Jungwoo really needs the whole real life hero bonus to make those ladies swoon. He has game enough as is.”

“Hey!” Lucas growled. “On whose side are you?”

 _I know something you don’t,_ Kun wanted to sing. 

Instead, he just grinned and patted his best friend on the shoulder. “You’ll live.”

With that he left Lucas and walked over to the culprit responsible for his best friend’s sulky mood.

“Jungwoo!” Kun elbowed his way past the vultures. “It’s time.”

Jungwoo bit his lip. “You sure?”

“Yes.”

Jungwoo swallowed visibly, but nodded. “Guys!” he called out. “It’s time!”

On cue, the firefighters present started moving. They put down their plates full of cake and glittery party hats before they formed two rows.

“What’s happening?” one of the single mums asked.

“What’s happening?” Ten repeated, appearing next to Kun.

“You’ll see.” 

Grinning, Kun pecked him on the lips before hurrying over to Lucas.

“Lucas, _Lucas!_ Come here, you bastard!” 

Ignoring his best friend’s confused protests, Kun shoved Lucas down the aisle the firefighters had formed. Content to have done his job, Kun returned to Ten. The arms of his boyfriend seemed like a good enough place to watch the show.

“What’s going on?” Ten asked again. Kun just shook his head and trained his eyes back on his two best friends. By now Lucas had made it down to where Jungwoo was standing, bouncing back and forth on his heels.

“Hey, honey.” Jungwoo greeted him

“Jungwoo.” Lucas eyed the people around them warily. “What the hell is this?”

“Could you—” there was such overwhelming fondness in Jungwoo’s expression, such intense love that Kun had to close his eyes for a moment—“Could you please shut up for a moment?”

Lucas’s eyes went wide. Stunned, he obliged.

Seemingly content with Lucas’s silence, Jungwoo took his hand.

“Oh, my God,” Ten whispered beside Kun as he realised what was happening. 

One after the other, the rest of the adults seemed to follow suits. Several gasps could be heard. One of the children squealed when Jungwoo dropped to one knee. That was nothing against Lucas’s reaction. Kun watched him smother the scream working its way out of his mouth with his free hand. “Jungwoo.”

“Lucas.” Jungwoo beamed back, squeezing the other man’s hand. “Can you wait till I’m done before you murder me?”

Lucas nodded furiously, eyes watering.

Jungwoo beamed. “Great. Thank you.” Then his expression turned solemn. “Lucas.”

Lucas let out a whimper.

“I wanted to do it like this, in front of a fire engine and in my uniform, because that is how I met you and I can honestly say that that was the luckiest day of my life. So forgive me if I try to channel a bit of the same luck again, today.”

Kun inconspicuously wiped his eyes.

“I knew it was you from the moment you stepped into my life with your blinding smile and the request for me to ‘please, step up my game and give this kids a real show because firefighter demonstrations are supposed to be exciting’.” 

The crowd laughed and so did Jungwoo. 

“I called my sister that night. Told her to buy a pretty dress for our ceremony. The ring I bought a month after we moved in. You made it so easy for me to fall in love with you and I want to thank you for that. I want to thank you for keeping up with my insane work schedules and supporting me living my dream as a fireman.” 

The firefighters hollered. 

“Get it, Jungwoo!” one of them yelled before he was silenced by his colleague. 

“I want to thank you for always forgiving me if I mess up dinner or ruin date night. I want to thank you for letting me love you because I do, I love you. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone else and I want to ask you with this ring,” Jungwoo produced the small black box out of his pocket Kun had found a month ago, “for your permission to let me continue do so for the rest of my life. Our life, if you want it to be.”

There was a heartbeat’s worth of silence and then, “Yes, of course. Yes, I want to marry you! Jungwoo!”

It was all giant, happy turmoil after that. Kun was the first one to fight his way past the firefighters.

“Don’t tell me you knew about this!” Lucas screamed into his ear as he pulled Kun into a bone-crushing hug.

“Maybe.”

“I hate you!”

“No, he doesn’t,” Jungwoo added from Kun’s other side as he joined them.

“I’m so happy for you!”

“Thank you!” Jungwoo mouthed before he and Lucas were whisked away by Jungwoo’s sister.

“They seem very happy,” Ten commented when Kun returned to him, snuggled himself into his side. 

Humming, Kun closed his eyes, soaked in the August sun. “They are.”

"You know this could be us one day?"

Startled, Kun ripped his eyes open. "What?"

"I am serious." Ten smiled, such earnestness in his eyes that it made Kun's heart jump. 

He flicked his gaze away. "You don't mean that." 

"Huh? Of course I mean it! What makes you think I would joke about something like that?"

Kun let his head fall. He had feared this conversation. The inevitable truth that their relationship had an expiration date. Kun wanted his voice to be strong, but failed. "I have a kid, Ten. What about Chenle?"

"Chenle? You think—" Ten laughed and Kun flinched. A light gasp escaped him when short but strong fingers enclosed his chin, made him look up. "I love Chenle more than anything. Hell, I'd marry you just to be allowed to sit him forever. He’s my son as well, Kun. He's mine too. Don't ever question that." 

Kun shook his head. "You don't know what you're talking about. You can’t—it’s too much responsibility. I can’t chain you down like that."

"I'll drive him to soccer practice." Ten's statement was loud and almost desperate. "Shit, if it's what he wants it I'll buy him ballet shoes. And if he gets in trouble at school, lord have mercy on the poor child or teacher that made him unhappy, because I won't have. I know what I am talking about, Kun. I am talking about raising him and being a parent, being his dad just as much as you are. I am talking about being part of his life, and yours."

Kun’s heart was hammering against his rib cage. Ten’s words were spinning around in his head. “You might change your mind.”

“Not likely.”

“Why?”

“Because I am talking about forever, Kun. Sappy and cheesy and honest forever. I want this kind of forever. I want you and him and Jungwoo and Lucas and a house and a cat named Beer. Don't ever think I don't. I want this life. It is my choice. And my choice is you.”

Kun felt his eyes prickle, his body mere seconds away from collapsing. “You sure?” He had to ask. He had to.

“Yes.” Ten said firmly, a quiet fit of laughter escaping his lips as Kun crashed into him.

“I love you so much.”

“Right back at you, baba.”

*

It was already past nine that night when the knock on the door came. Kun was busy puzzling the last cake-filled tupperware container into the fridge while Ten and Chenle were sprawled out on the couch. Since it was his birthday, Chenle had insisted on staying up as late as the grown-ups.

It was kind of ironic, considering that not only he but also Ten were passed out by now. Carefully not to wake them, Kun tiptoed to the door. If it was Jungwoo, asking for another can of whipped cream, Kun might vomit all over him. He loved his friends, he did, but there were certain things he didn’t need to know, or wanted to imagine.

“Woo, I swear to god, just use chocolate sauce or—”

The rest of the sentence got stuck in Kun’s throat as his brain processed the sight in front of him. Again and again, Kun’s eyes took in camouflage green clothes, round face and neatly cropped hair. And his mouth, pulled into a lopsided grin that was so reminiscent of his own. So much alike him, it felt like looking in a mirror.

“Hello, Kun.”

Kun didn’t manage more than an incoherent gargling sound.

“I sent you a letter?”

 _I know._ Kun wanted to say. _I couldn’t open it. I thought they were telling me you were dead too._

“Kun, what’s wrong?” Kun felt himself sway as Ten appeared behind him.

Yawning into Kun’s ear, Ten slung an arm around his waist, hooking his chin over Kun’s shoulder to see who he was talking to. “Who are you?”

“Well.” The man at the door raised an eyebrow, his gaze flicking to the arm around Kun’s waist, Kun’s fingers automatically intertwining with Ten’s. “I could ask you the same thing.”

“I’m Ten.” Suddenly, Ten’s tone became hard, daring. “I’m Kun’s boyfriend.”

It was then that Kun cracked and he was laughing, wheezing at the absurdity of it all.

The man at the door watched him for a couple of seconds, amusement curving his lips into a smile as he reached over Kun to offer Ten his hand to shake. “Nice to meet you, Ten who is Kun’s boyfriend. I’m Sicheng, Kun’s brother.”

*

The fourth time, Ten didn’t want to get up. Determinedly, he pressed his eyes further shut. Maybe if he waited long enough, the incessant crying coming from the baby phone would stop. It didn’t.

“C’mon,” Ten whined into the thin air of the bedroom.

In a last, vain attempt to sleep on, Ten rolled over and buried his face in Kun’s pillow, inhaled the addicting scent of his boyfriend. It wasn’t enough to block out the toddler demanding his attention. Giving up, Ten kicked the duvet off of him and rolled out of bed. A short glimpse to the alarm clock on Kun’s bedside table told him it was almost midnight.

Chenle was already waiting for him when he stumbled through the door of the toddler’s room, just like the last three times that night. The three-year-old was sitting upright in his crib, face red as crocodile’s tears rolled down his cheeks, his hands reaching for him the moment he flicked on the light. Ten hoisted his up and onto his hip.

“Hey, Chenle, shhhh. C’mon, baby, what’s wrong?”

"Tennie." Chenle sobbed into his collarbone, effectively drenching the fabric of his shirt in snot and tears. "W-want b-baba."

Ten lightly bounced Chenle up and down, rubbed soothing circles into his back while doing so.

"Shh, I know, Lele, but he is sleeping right now, yeah? Just like you should be!"

Forcing a smile onto his face, he booped his baby’s nose. The action caused Chenle to giggle. “Can you do that for me? Sleep a little bit? Today is a big day, you know?”

“Big day?”

“Yeah. You have to meet your uncle tomorrow. He is a prince, a mighty knight that has returned from war!”

“Oh.” Chenle wriggled excitedly in his arms. “Sword?”

“I don’t know if he has one, but we’ll ask him tomorrow, yeah? If you sleep real good now.”

“Okay. I love you.” After planting a kiss on his cheek, Chenle let himself be lowered back into his bed.

“Love you too, Little Prince. Sleep well.”

Making sure the night light was still plugged in, Ten pulled the door to Chenle’s bedroom closed behind him.

In the weak moonlight falling in through the window, he could make out the two asleep figures on the couch, both passed out from the exhaustion of the reunion. Kun had cried for a good two hours and even Sicheng, who had seemed determined to not let his cool facade crumble, had shed a tear or two.

Ten didn’t quite understand their relationship yet, but he wasn’t too worried. Kun seemed happy, over the moon even. Ten would make sure it would stay that way. Nothing was going to happen to Kun. Ten was going to make sure of it. He was going to take care of whatever life would throw at his family. He was theirs, and they were his now. 

**Author's Note:**

> Fin.  
>   
> If you liked this, I'm really grateful for feedback!  
>   
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